Four new species of the fish genus Ecsenius with notes on other species of the genus (Blenniidae, Salariini)

The Indo-Pacific blenniid fish genus Ecsenius

“…Introduction This is the fourth study I have published (Springer, 1971(Springer, , 1972McKinney and Springer, 1976) on the systematics of Ecsenius. In the first study I recognized 18 species, but the material actually comprised 26 species.…”

“…Of the eight species that I did not recognize nomenclaturally, seven were described as variations within other species of Ecsenius, and one (Ecsenius minutus Klausewitz), known from a single juvenile specimen, was incorrectly synonymized. Since 1971, seven more species of Ecsenius have been described (Springer, 1972;McKinney and Springer, 1976). Herein, I describe 20 new species and resurrect E. minutus, bringing the total number of species in Ecsenius to 46.…”

“…In establishing the species groups of Ecsenius, I used ingroup analysis, wherein I heavily weighted selected uncommon character states, at the same time recognizing the fallacy of such a basis. In some instances the groups so defined were established in earlier studies, particularly McKinney and Springer (1976), based on intuitive or other non-cladistic assessment In spite of problems in formal methodology, I believe most of the species groups I recognize are monophyletic, but a few are possibly paraphyletic.…”

“…SEXUAL DIMORPHISM.-Males tend to have higher average numbers of meristic elements than do females (Table 13), which in some cases are statistically significantly different . Females from Taiwan have a higher average number of dentary incisor teeth than do males (Table 14; highly significant statistically; McKinney and Springer, 1976).…”

Ecsenius niue, new species of blenniid fish, and new distribution records for other species in the Opsifrontalis species group

“…This study is the eighth in a series published by the author that treats the systematics and/ or biogeography of the Indo-Pacific blenniid fish genus Ecsenius McCulloch (Springer, 1971(Springer, , 1972(Springer, , 1988(Springer, , 1991Springer and Randall, 1999;Springer and Allen, 2001;McKinney and Springer, 1976). The purpose of the present paper is to describe a new species in the Opsifrontalis species group (Springer, 1988:76-81) and to mention new distribution records for three other species in the group, E. axelrodi Springer, E. bathi Springer, and E. opsifrontalis Chapman and Schultz. The synapomorphy that defines the Opsifrontalis species group is the presence on the body (of living or freshly dead specimens) of pinkish to reddish to brownish-orange stripes and/or bands in at least one color-pattern form of each species.…”