A new species of Gobiopsis (Pisces: Gobiidae) from Papua New Guinea

The new species of gobiid fish, Gobiopsis jackbrooksi, n. sp., is described from two specimens: an adult female 38.7 mm SL and a juvenile of 14.0 mm SL, both collected from mud-bottom habitat in 30 m depth at Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Diagnostic features include: head barbels absent; segmented dorsal-fin and anal-fin rays 10; longitudinal scales 31; predorsal scales 10; transverse scales 9; no scales on the cheek and operculum; cephalic sensory-canal pores B’, C, D, E, F, and H’ present; preopercular and posterior oculoscapular pores absent; major rows of cephalic sensory papillae on raised fleshy ridges along a mainly longitudinal orientation on the cheek; and some sensory papillae on the side of the head enlarged and fleshy. The new species is similar to Gobiopsis namnas from Japan and Gobiopsis uranophilus from the South China Sea, the only other members of the genus that lack head barbels.