Cole'S Rockskipper

Dorsal fin XIII to XV, 18 to 20 (usually XIV); membrane between spinous and segmented-ray portions notched deeper than half length of first segmented ray; membrane from posteriormost ray attaching to point ranging from between dorsal edge of caudal peduncle well in advance of caudal-fin base to dorsal edge of caudal fin just posterior to base (usually anterior to caudal-fin base); posteriormost anal-fin ray not bound by membrane to caudal peduncle; skin covering anal-fin spines and anterior segmented rays not modified in adult males; pectoral-fin rays 14 or 15 (15 only unilaterally, in only 2 of 46 specimens examined for character); dorsal procurrent caudal fin rays 6 to 8 (typically 7), ventral procurrent rays 6 to 8 (typically 7), total procurrent rays 12 to 15 (typically 14), segmented rays 13. Lacking nape cirrus. Orbital cirrus consisting of flattened central stalk with up to 7 branches on each lateral and medial margin; less than orbital diameter in females, ranging from less than to slightly greater than orbital diameter in males. Nasal cirrus short, ranging from ragged-edged flap to palmate flap with up to 16 irregular branches; lacking posterior canines; ventral margin of upper lip entire; dorsal margin of lower lip varying from entire to weakly, irregularly, and almost unnoticeably crenulate (irregularities almost entirely restricted to corners of lip). Males with well-developed, blade-like crest on head; females lack crest, but females generally at 6.8 to 8.6 cm SL with faint, ridge-like crest precursors; male crest uniformly dusky or covered with dusky spots or granular vermiculations; remainder of head either almost uniformly dusky or with fine, dusky spots on opercle. Male max. size 11.8 cm SL; female max. size, 10.3 cm SL.

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 20; Anal spines: 2; Analsoft rays: 19 - 21

Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).

Istiblennius colei (Herre)

Salarias colei Herre, 1934:96 [Philippines, reef in Culion Harbor; holotype CAS-SU 25520].

Salarias martini Herre, 1942:2 [Estancia, Panay, Philippine Islands; holotype CAS-SU 28253].

DESCRIPTION.—Dorsal fin (Table 42). XIII to XV,18 to 20 = 32–34 (XIV in 91% of specimens; 20 in only one male of 36 males examined), mean number of total elements statistically significantly higher for males than for females; membrane between spinous and segmented-ray portions notched deeper than half length of first segmented ray; membrane from posteriormost ray attaching to point ranging from on dorsal edge of caudal peduncle well in advance of caudal-fin base to point on dorsal edge of caudal fin just posterior to base (usually anterior to caudal-fin base).

Anal fin (Table 42). II,19 to 21, mean number of segmented elements statistically significantly higher for males than for females; posterior element split to base in more than half of specimens; posterior element of split ray usually visible externally; fin not bound by membrane to caudal peduncle in any of 53 specimens examined for character. Skin covering anal-fin spines and anterior segmented rays not modified in adult males. Pectoral-fin rays 14 or 15 (15 only unilaterally, in only 2 of 46 specimens examined for character).

Pelvic-fin rays I,4, but only 3 segmented rays visible externally; innermost ray greatly reduced, but retaining segmentations, completely imbedded in skin; visible only in 2 available cleared-and-stained specimens, but presumably present in all other specimens.

Caudal fin (Table 42). Dorsal procurrent rays 6 to 8 (7 in 92% of specimens examined for character), ventral procurrent rays 6 to 8 (7 in 78% of specimens), total procurrent rays 12 to 15 (14 in 92% of specimens), segmented rays 13.

Vertebrae (Table 42). 11 or 12+26 to 28 = 37 to 39 (12 in only 2 of 62 specimens examined for character), mean number of total (and caudal) vertebrae statistically significantly higher for males than for females; posteriormost pleural rib on 11th or 12th from anteriormost centrum (on 11th in only 1 of 58 specimens); posteriormost epineural rib on 14th to 19th from anteriormost centrum (on 19th in only 1 of 63 specimens).

Cirri. Nape cirrus absent. Orbital cirrus consisting of flattened central stalk with up to 7 branches on each lateral and medial margin; orbital diameter in males. Nasal cirrus short, ranging from ragged-edged flap to palmate flap with up to 16 irregular branches.

Lateral line. Continuous canal anterodorsally with simple pores (no vertical pairs of pores), extending posteriorly to point between vertical from between bases of 7th and 8th dorsal-fin spines and vertical from base of 10th spine (usually to vertical from, or between, 8th or 9th spines), then continuing posteroventrally and posteriorly as series of 3 to 12 short, disconnected, horizontally bi-pored canals (tubes) in skin; posteriormost tube in area between verticals from 11th and 20th from anteriormost dorsal-fin element (i.e., no farther posteriorly than 6th segmented ray; mean number of element significantly higher in females than males, Table 42).

Mandibular pores 4 to 7 (6, at least unilaterally, in 84% of specimens; modally 6 bilaterally, 47% of specimens; Table 42).

Six to 8 sensory pore positions between 1 and 5 o'clock on postorbital margin; 0 to 2 positions occupied by pair of pores (modally 1).

Posterior canines absent.

Ventral margin of upper lip entire; dorsal margin of lower lip varying from entire to weakly, irregularly, and almost unnoticeably crenulate (irregularities almost entirely restricted to corners of lip).

Males with well-developed, blade-like crest on head (smallest male available, 49 mm SL); females lack crest (largest available, 103 mm SL), but several females 68 to 86 mm SL with faint, ridge-like crest precursors, and 1 female, 71 mm, with definite slender crest, 1.0 mm high, and another, 85 mm SL, with well-developed fleshy ridge, 0.9 mm high (both much lower than that of any male examined).

Color pattern (in preservative; Figure 56). Male and female color patterns generally similar, but that of female usually more contrasty; male crest uniformly dusky or covered with dusky spots or granular vermiculations; remainder of head either almost uniformly dusky or with fine, dusky spots on opercle; up to about 6 pairs of dark, irregular bands on body, bands extending from above anal-fin base to dorsal body contour, variably entering dorsal fin basally; all fins darkly, irregularly pigmented, except tips of dorsal- and anal-fin elements tend to be pale.

Size. Largest male, 118 mm SL; largest female, 103 mm SL; smallest specimen available, 36 mm SL, not an ophioblennius stage.

COMPARISONS AND RELATIONSHIPS.—We have no subjective opinion on what the interrelationships of Istiblennius colei might be. Our phylogenetic analysis places it as the sister group of all other Istiblennius species (Figure 60, see Phylogenetic Analysis section). Superficially, Istiblennius colei resembles Paralticus amboinensis and is different from all other Istiblennius and Blenniella species in having modally 14 dorsal-fin spines. The two species differ in many characters (see Comparisons and Relationships section under P. amboinensis) and there is no reason to believe they are closely related. In possessing 4 segmented pelvic-fin rays (but only 3 obvious), I. colei resembles only I. unicolor and I. spilotus (only some of the specimens of spilotus have 4 segmented pelvic-fin rays), but, among many characters, differs from these two species in having the ventral margin of the upper lip entire (crenulate in the other 2 species).

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 66).—Istiblennius colei is known only from Culion and Panay islands in the Philippines, and, thus, has the most restricted distribution of all the species of Istiblennius and Blenniella. This species is known only from the type series of its 2 nominal synonyms, collected more than 50 years ago. Considering all the collecting that has occurred in the Philippines in the past 20 years, it seems amazing that this clearly shallow-dwelling, once-common species has not been re-collected. We fear that it may be extinct.

NOMENCLATURAL

Istiblennius colei is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Pacific Ocean, around the Philippines. Males of this species can reach a maximum of 11.8 cm (4.6 in) SL, while females reach a maximum of 10.3 cm (4.1 in) SL. The specific name of this blenny honours Howard I. Cole (1892-1966) who was the Chief Chemist for the Philippine Health Service at the leper colony on Culion Island, Philippines, which is the type locality.