taxonID	type	description	language	source
03C43C38FFC63D4081A0172AFA43FA3D.taxon	description	2) Plagiotremus. Plagiotremus laudandus laudandus (Whitley) (type locality: New Caledonia) is widely distributed in the central and western Pacific Ocean with the exception of the Fiji Islands. At that locality it is replaced by Plagiotremus laudandus flavus Smith-Vaniz. The two forms differ in coloration (Smith-Vaniz, 1976, 1987; Smith-Vaniz et al., 2001): P. l. flavus is entirely yellow, while P. l. laudandus is variously pigmented with dark stripes. Both of these forms mimic species of the blenniid genus Meiacanthus and their distributions closely parallel those of their model species, with the yellow form, P. l. flavus, co-occurring with the yellow species Meiacanthus oualanensis (Günther) in the Fiji Islands (Smith-Vaniz, 1976, 1987). We elect to elevate them to species status following a similar conclusion made for the two allopatric color morphs of their model Meiacanthus (M. oualanensis and M. atrodorsalis) by Smith-Vaniz (1987). 3) Ophioblennius. Springer (1962) reviewed the salariine genus Ophioblennius, recognizing two species, each with two subspecies. In the Pacific, Ophioblennius steindachneri steindachneri Jordan & Evermann (type locality: near Mazatlán, Mexico) is found throughout the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean mainland from Mexico to Peru and at the oceanic islands of Galápagos, Cocos, Malpelo and Revillagegido. Ophioblennius steindachneri clippertonensis Springer is endemic to Clipperton Atoll. These forms differ in number of dorsal-fin rays (33 - 35, modally 34 in steindachneri versus 34 - 36, modally 35 in clippertonensis), number of anal-fin rays (24 - 26, modally 25 in steindachneri versus 25 - 27, modally 26 in clippertonensis), and total number of nuchal cirri (8 - 19, average 11.2 - 13.7 1 depending on locality, in steindachneri versus 6 - 14, average 9.7 1, in clippertonensis). In addition, significant population differentiation in cytochrome b was demonstrated for the Clipperton population relative to other eastern Pacific populations (Muss et al., 2001). While these authors indicated that the level of genetic differentiation was not at the level of most species, other authors have recognized similar levels of genetic divergence as indicative of species level differences (Rocha et al., 2007). This, together with the well-documented differences in morphology, which Muss et al. (2001) ignored, clearly justifies recognition of these two forms as distinct species. 4) Ophioblennius. Springer (1962) recognized two Atlantic subspecies, Ophioblennius atlanticus atlanticus (Valenciennes) from the west coast of Africa and adjacent islands and the east coast of Brazil (type locality: Madeira) and Ophioblennius atlanticus macclurei (Silvester) from throughout the Caribbean (type locality: Puerto Rico). These forms differ in number of dorsal-fin rays (33 - 36, modally 34 in atlanticus versus 31 - 33, modally 32 in macclurei) and number of anal-fin rays (24 - 25, modally 25 in atlanticus versus 22 - 24, modally 23 in macclurei). Based on relatively few specimens, Springer (1962) reluctantly included the Brazilian population with the eastern Atlantic population under O. a. atlanticus but noted that the name O. trinitatis Ribeiro (type locality: Trindade Island) was available should additional material and data become available that showed them to be distinct. Muss et al. (2001) surveyed variation in the cytochrome b gene from Ophioblennius populations throughout the Atlantic basin, reporting significant structure that parallels the biogeographic regions designated by earlier workers and coincides with the subspecies designated by Springer (1962). In addition they found significant differences between the eastern Atlantic and Brazilian populations of this genus. Consequently, we recognize three species of Ophioblennius in the Atlantic: O. atlanticus from the eastern Atlantic, O. macclurei from the northwestern Atlantic, and O. trinitatis from the southwestern Atlantic. These taxa were also recognized as distinct species in a recent paper on biogeography of Atlantic reef fishes (Floeter et al., 2007). This does not, however, fully resolve the status of all Atlantic Ophioblennius. Muss et al. (2001) demonstrated significant genetic differences among populations found on oceanic islands of the Atlantic and C. Baldwin (personal communication) reports morphological evidence supporting the recognition of additional species in the Atlantic basin.	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
03C43C38FFC63D4081A0172AFA43FA3D.taxon	description	6) Entomacrodus. Entomacrodus thalassinus (Jordan & Seale) was described based on specimens from Western Samoa and later recorded from the central Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Entomacrodus thalassinus longicirrus Springer was described from the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand (type locality: Kram Islands, Gulf of Thailand) and subsequently recorded from Taiwan (Springer, 1972). The two forms differ in length of the supraorbital cirrus (significantly longer in longicirrus), pigmentation (darker in longicirrus) and body size (larger in longicirrus). Although designated as a subspecies (Springer, 1967), these differences warrant recognition of these forms as separate species. 7) Entomacrodus. Entomacrodus stellifer (Jordan & Snyder) was originally described based on specimens from Wakanoura, Japan. Entomacrodus lighti (Herre), described based on specimens from Dodd Island, Amoy, China, was considered a subspecies of stellifer by Springer (1967). They differ in coloration (in stellifer the side of the body has dark bands either broken up by reticulations, or with inclusions of fine pale spots or dashes, while in lighti the side of the body is more-or-less uniformly dark) and in pattern of sexual dimorphism (selected meristic characters are dimorphic in lighti, but not in stellifer). These differences warrant recognition of these as separate species whose distributions partially parallel those of E. thalassinus and E. longicirrus (see above; Table 1). 8) Microlipophrys. Zander (1986 a) recognized two subspecies of Microlipophrys nigriceps (Vinciguerra) (formerly in the genus Lipophrys), the nominate form from coastal regions of the northern Mediterranean (type locality: Brazza Island, Dalmatia), and Microlipophrys nigriceps portmahonis (Castaños), from the southern Mediterranean and off the Balearics (type locality: Menorca, Balearic Islands). Bath (1996) also considered Lipophrys nigriceps cypriacus (Bath) as a valid subspecies, although Zander (1986 a) had previously synonymized it with L. n. portmahonis. These forms differ in the presence of a black caudal peduncle spot in portmahonis and cypriacus that is absent in nigriceps (Zander, 1986 a). In addition, the northern form (nigriceps) exhibits overall reduced pigmentation associated with its cave-dwelling habits, as well as considerable color variation within a single population (Zander, 1980). Although warranting further study, we follow recent workers on these fishes (e. g., Almada, et al., 2001) in considering them conspecific.	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
03C43C38FFC03D4381A014B5FC29FD8E.taxon	description	10) Chaenopsis. Chaenopsis alepidota (Gilbert) was described based on specimens from the northern Gulf of California collected aboard the Albatross. Subsequently Chaenopsis alepidota californiensis Böhlke was described based on three specimens collected from Isla Catalina off the coast of southern California. The latter subspecies was recognized based primarily on its having more rays in the dorsal and anal fins (total for all elements 95 - 97, mean = 96 versus 89 - 94, mean = 91.3), although Böhlke concluded that it “ seems that little differentiation has taken place ” (Böhlke, 1957, p. 97). These meristic characters follow the expected patterns of phenotypic variation as a consequence of the significantly colder environmental temperatures experienced by the populations in California. As noted by Böhlke (1957), populations of species from colder areas generally have more fin-ray elements (Jordan’s rule; Jordan, 1891; Lindsey, 1988) calling into question the significance of the diagnostic features of these forms of C. alepidota. A recent study on their genetics (Bernardi et al., 2003) found that the two forms are reciprocally monophyletic (albeit based on relatively small sample sizes), but also found evidence of recent gene flow among them. In addition, the percent sequence divergence in the mitochondrial control region between California and Gulf populations is low (1.87 %) compared to disjunct sister species with similar distributions (Dawson et al., 2006). In the absence of additional morphological data and analysis of genetic variation across their distributions, we do not recommend elevation of the population from California to species status.	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
03C43C38FFC33D4281A013DBFF37FEF6.taxon	description	12) Dactyloscopus. Dawson (1975) recognized two subspecies of Dactyloscopus fimbriatus (Reid), the nominate form from Central and South America (type locality: Cape Elena, Ecuador) and Dactyloscopus fimbriatus elongatus Myers & Wade from Mexico, including the southwestern coast of Baja California, and the Gulf of California southward to Oaxaca (type locality: Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico). Dawson (1975) reported that these forms are readily distinguished by several features including the number of upper lip fimbriae (15 - 19, mean = 17.4 in fimbriatus versus 13 - 17, mean = 15.0 in elongatus), number of segmented anal-fin rays (36 - 39, modally 37 in fimbriatus versus 38 - 41, modally 39 in elongatus), and number of preopercular canal pores (mean = 14.8 in fimbriatus versus mean = 8.6 in elongatus), selected body proportions and coloration (distinct marking present in fimbriatus but weak to absent in elongatus). Consequently, these forms clearly warrant recognition as separate species. 13) Dactyloscopus. Dawson (1975) recognized three subspecies of Dactyloscopus pectoralis Gill, the nominate subspecies from the Gulf of California (type locality: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico), Dactyloscopus pectoralis fallax Dawson from Mexico south of the Gulf to Ecuador (type locality: Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico), and Dactyloscopus pectoralis insulatus Dawson from the Islas Revillagigedo (type locality: Isla San Benedicto). These forms differ in a number of morphological features (Dawson, 1975) including scalation patterns (scales absent above the lateral line in pectoralis versus present in the other two), number of upper lip fimbriae (modally 9 in pectoralis, 11 in falax and 10 - 11 in insulatus), number of preopercular canal pores (modally 5 in pectoralis, 6 in fallax and 10 in insulatus), and selected fin-ray counts. In addition, the labial fimbriae are branched in fallax but unbranched in the other two. Consequently, these features clearly distinguish these three forms and warrant their recognition as separate species. 14) Myxodagnus. Myxodagnus opercularis Gill was described based on specimens collected by John Xantus at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The subspecies Myxodagnus opercularis walkeri Dawson was based on type material from mainland Mexico (type locality: Chacala, Nayarit) and non-type material from Costa Rica. Dawson (1976) reported that these forms differ in several features including number of upper lip fimbriae (7 - 8 in opercularis versus 10 - 11 in walkeri), number preopercular canal pores (one in opercularis versus 2 - 3 in walkeri), preorbital length (greater in walkeri) and coloration (distinct suborbital bar present in opercularis, absent in walkeri). These differences clearly distinguish these forms and warrant their recognition as separate species.	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
03C43C38FFC23D4D81A0102AFC35FF08.taxon	description	16) Malacoctenus. Malacoctenus margaritae margaritae (Fowler) was described based on specimens from Saboga, Islas Perlas, Panama and subsequently also recorded from Costa Rica (Springer, 1959). Malacoctenus margaritae mexicanus Springer was described based on specimens from the Gulf of California southward to Acapulco, Mexico (type locality: Bahia Santa Inez). Springer (1959) reported differences in number of symphysial pores (1 - 4, usually 2 - 4 in margaritae versus 1 - 4, usually 1 in mexicanus), number of scales between the anterior lateral line and the dorsal contour (3 - 4, usually 3 in margaritae versus 4 - 5, usually 4 in mexicanus), length of the third pelvic-fin ray (shorter in margaritae), and coloration (body marking considerably more distinct in mexicanus). These differences warrant recognition of these as separate species. 17) Malacoctenus. Malacoctenus zonifer zonifer (Jordan & Gilbert), described based on specimens from Mazatlán, occurs from the southern Gulf of California southward to Oaxaca including the Islas Tres Marias (Springer, 1959). Malacoctenus zonifer sudensis Springer was described based on specimens from south of this region, from Nicaragua to Ecuador (type locality: Saboga, Islas Perlas, Panama). These forms were distinguished based on numbers of symphysial pores (numbers increase with size in both, but more pores present in zonifer of a given size), gill rakers (9 - 12, usually 10 - 11 in zonifer versus 10 - 13, usually 11 - 12 in sudensis) and total anal-fin elements (19 - 22, usually 21 - 22 in zonifer versus 20 - 23, usually 22 in sudensis) and on several aspects of coloration that are better developed in sudensis. This form has dark pigment on the interspinal membrane of the first dorsal fin, spots on the gular fold, two spots ventrally on the opercle and spots on the anal fin of males, all of which are lacking or weakly expressed in zonifer (Springer, 1959). These striking differences warrant recognition of these forms as separate species. 18) Dialommus. Dialommus macrocephalus (Günther) was described based on specimens from the Pacific coast of Central America, probably Panama (Hubbs, 1952). The subspecies Dialommus macrocephalus catherinae (Hubbs) was described based on 41 specimens collected from Piedra Blanca Bay, Costa Rica by the Zaca expedition. These subspecies were diagnosed based on subtle differences in the means of proportional measurements including head length and various fin-ray lengths, with specimens from Bahia Honda, Panama intermediate in most values. These small statistical differences do not warrant recognition of these forms as taxonomically distinct and we consider D. m. catherinae a synonym of D. macrocephalus. 19) Exerpes. Exerpes asper (Jenkins & Evermann) was described based on specimens from the Gulf of California (type locality: Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico). Exerpes asper magdalenensis Hubbs was based on specimens from Bahia Magdelena on the southwestern coast of Baja California Sur, and Exerpes asper earli Hubbs, on specimens from slightly farther north along the Pacific coast of the Baja peninsula including Scammon’s and San Ignacio lagoons (type locality: Cabo Tortolo). These subspecies were separated based on subtle differences in proportional measurements including lengths of the head, jaw and first dorsal-fin spine (Hubbs, 1952). These features no doubt exhibit ontogenetic and perhaps sexual variation (Brooks, 1991), thus we consider E. a. magdalenensis and E. a. earli as synonyms of E. asper.	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
03C43C38FFCD3D4D81A0105EFF27FC2A.taxon	description	21) Tripterygion. Zander (1986 b) recognized Tripterygion delaisi delaisi Cadenat & Blache from the eastern Atlantic excluding the Mediterranean Sea (type locality: Gorée, Senegal), and T. d. xanthosoma Zander & Heymer from the Mediterranean (type locality: Banyuls-sur-Mer, France). These forms reportedly differ in courtship behavior and ecology. Wirtz (1990) and Fricke (1997) considered the latter a synonym of the former. Recent genetic studies (Carreras-Carbonell et al., 2005; Domingues et al., 2007) found evidence of two lineages, however, it is not clear that the genetic differences parallel the phenotypic (and nomenclatural) differences. Consequently, resolution of the status of these forms awaits further study (Domingues et al., 2007).	en	Hastings, Philip A., Springer, Victor G. (2009): Recognizing diversity in blennioid fish nomenclature (Teleostei: Blennioidei). Zootaxa 2120: 3-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.188099
