Abstract
Platygobiopsis akihito is described from 12 specimens 63.4-95.9mm SL. It is most closely related to Gobiopsis Steindachner, based on the presence of a pair of chin barbels and two horizontal, fleshy, papillae-bearing folds on the cheek, and the absence of vertical papillae-bearing folds on the sides of the anterior half of the head. Platygobiopsis differs most obviously from all the species Lachner and McKinney (1978, 1979) included in Gobiopsis in having an exceedingly depressed head and body (both the most depressed of any gobioid), an elongate form (depth 4.5-5.8% SL), and in its dorsal-and anal-fin formulae: D. VI-12, A. I, 12, which include at least one more segmented dorsal-fin ray and two more segmented anal-fin rays than is known to occur in any species of Gobiopsis.
