A new species of Schindleria (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Tahiti (French Polynesia) with a unique lower jaw dentition

A new paedomorphic gobiid species, Schindleria multidentata, is described from the Pacific island of Tahiti (French Polynesia). The new species belongs to the group with a long dorsal fin (LDF). Schindleria multidentata is characterized by an elongate, slender body (body depth at pectoral-radial plate origin 4.1 % of SL and at anal-fin origin 5.6 % of SL); a long dorsal fin originating distinctly anterior to the origin of the anal fin (predorsal-fin length 57.5, preanal-fin length 74.4 % of SL); a short tail (29.8 % of SL); a short (length 3.3 % of SL) and wide (83.5 % in length of pectoral-radial plate) pectoral-radial plate; a simple last procurrent ray with a length about 25 % of that of the first and last principle caudal-fin rays respectively; 19 – 21 dorsal fin rays; 13 – 15 anal-fin rays; the first-anal fin ray below dorsal-fin ray 9 – 10; numerous tiny and densely set teeth in the upper and lower jaws (about 40 on the premaxilla and about 30 on the dentary); teeth on the dentary separated by a distinct gap (diastema) into an anterior and a posterior group; the maxilla slightly curved, thin, rod-like, distally flattened, and with a plate-like expansion; and the lower jaw forming a narrow, slightly pointed arch.