A Revision of the Eleotrid Goby Genus Odontobutis in Japan, Korea and China

Abstract

The eleotrid goby genus Odontobutis in Japan, Korea and China is represented by two species and three subspecies i.e., O.obscura obscura, O.o.potamophila, O.o.interrupta subsp.nov. and O.platycephala sp.nov.The genus is characterized by the presence of smooth, feeble crests on the dorsal sides of the eyes, by the absence of a spine on the preopercle, by the absence of teeth on the vomer, by the wide gill openings, by the larger interorbital width to eye diameter ratio and by the predorsal scales which extend forward on the upper surface of the head to between the hind nostrils.
Odontobutis platycephala is distinguished from O.obscura by the presence of two sensory canals on the preoperculomandibular pit line.O.o.potamophila and O.o.interrupta are disin -guished from O.o.obscura by the presence of one postocular sensory canal on the supraorbital pit line.O.o.interrupta is distinguished from O.o.potamophila by the infraorbital connected to the verticalantorbital pit line and the interrupted cross bands on the body.Each of O.o.obscura, O.o.interrupta and O.o.potamophila is distributed in western Japan, the western coastal slope of Korea and China, respectively.O.platycephala occurs throughout Korea except along the northern coast.