A new genus and four new species of seagrass-specialist clingfishes (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from temperate southern Australia

A new genus and four new species of clingfishes are described based on specimens collected primarily from seagrass along the southern coast of Australia. The new genus Melanophorichthys is distinguished from all other genera of the Gobiesocidae by aspects of colour pattern, including the presence of numerous, large, dark brown to black melanophores along the side of the body in adults, and sexually dimorphic and dichromatic dorsal and anal fins, larger and more colourful (in life) in males. Melanophorichthys posidonus, type species of Melanophorichthys, is described based on 17 specimens (24.6-35.0 mm SL) from South Australia and Victoria. Melanophorichthys priscillae is described based on 119 specimens (16.4-34.0 mm SL) from Western Australia. Melanophorichthys parvipsittus is described based on 73 specimens (16.2-24.6 mm SL) from Victoria and Tasmania. Melanophorichthys penicillus is described based on 10 specimens (17.0-26.0 mm SL) from Western Australia. The new species are distinguished from each other by characters of body shape, head shape, vertebrae and fin-ray counts, features of osteology, and aspects of live colour pattern. Based on available phylogenetic hypotheses for the Gobiesocidae, the new genus represents the sister taxon to a clade comprising two other clingfishes of the polyphyletic genus "Cochleoceps", C. spatula (type species) and C. viridis, that are found primarily in seagrass. Including the four new species, eleven species of clingfish (~5% of Gobiesocidae) are identified as seagrass specialists (i.e., species that occur primarily within seagrass beds or meadows, but may occur rarely in other habitats).