94 
usually 10); and more segmented anal-fin rays (9-10, usually 10 
versus 9). 
REMARKS. ‘Two of the three collections that yielded specimens of 
H. georgegilli, were in surge areas (PCH 95-M23 and PCH 95- 
M30), and the remaining collection was in an area exposed to tidal 
currents (PCH 95-M20); all collections were in 4-10 m. Thus, H. 
georgegilli appears to be restricted to shallow subtidal, high-energy 
habitat. 
The tip of the pelvic-fin spine of the cleared and stained paratype 
of H. georgegilli took up alcian blue stain (Fig. 4). Birdsong et al. 
(1988: 197) noted similar blue-staining in Awaous and sicydiine 
gobiids and interpreted ‘a fleshy (cartilaginous) tip on each pelvic 
spine’ as a potential synapomorphy of these taxa. However, histo- 
logical studies in progress by L.R. Parenti and the present author 
indicate that fin spines of many acanthomorphs stain with alcian 
blue, but that the blue-staining material is keratin not cartilage. 
COMMENTS ON OTHER MAURITIAN 
HETERELEOTRIS 
ECOLOGICAL NOTES. Hoese (1986) recorded two species of 
Hetereleotris from Mauritius, H. vinsoni Hoese, 1986 and H. 
zanzibarensis (Smith, 1958). The 1995 collections yielded both of 
these species and three others: H. apora (Hoese & Winterbottom, 
1979), H. georgegilli, and H. poecila (Fowler, 1946). Specimens of 
Hetereleotris were collected at thirteen stations (Table 1). Details for 
three of the stations (PCH 95-M20, PCH 95-M23 and PCH 95-M30) 
are provided above in the list of type materials for H. georgegilli. 
Locality and habitat details for the remaining ten stations are as 
follows: 
PCH 95-M1: Bai de la Petite Riviere, off Albion Fisheries Re- 
search Centre, around coral bommies on sand and rubble bottom, 
0.3-1.9 m. 
PCH 95-M5: Bai de la Petite Riviere, just south of Pointe Petite 
Riviere at north end of Albion public beach, around rocks and 
patch reefs on sand, rock and rubble bottom, 0—1.5 m. 
PCH 95-M9: Albion, Pointe Petite Riviere at end of Avenue 
Victory, rock pools, 0-1 m. 
PCH 95-M10: Bai de la Petite Riviere, off Albion Fisheries 
Research Centre, 20°12’30"S 57°23'E, boulders on sand and 
gravel bottom, 10—12 m. 
PCH 95-M11: Bai de la Petite Riviere, off Albion Fisheries 
Research Centre, 20°12’00"S 57°23'E, around coral bommie and 
adjacent coral, rubble and sand, 9-11 m. 
PCH 95-M13: Bai de la Petite Riviere, southwest of Albion 
Fisheries Research Centre, around coral bommie, 10—11 m. 
PCH 95-M18: Bai de la Petite Riviere, off Albion Fisheries 
Research Centre, just outside reef crest, 20°12’30"S 057°23’30"E, 
around caves and along 2—3 m dropoff in front of reef platform, 4— 
8 m. 
PCH 95-M22: Trou aux Biches lagoon near boating channel, 
around coral bommies and patch reefs (mainly Acropora) and 
adjacent sand and rubble, 4-5 m. 
PCH 95-M27: Albion, off Pointe Petite Riviere at end of Avenue 
Victory, 10-11 m. 
PCH 95-M32: rocky shore at Bel Air, 20°30’30"S 57°34’30"E, 
rock pools, 0-1 m. 
Despite the limited data, there is some indication of ecological 
separation of the species (Table 1). Of the 13 stations that yielded 
specimens of the genus, one had three species, seven had two 
A/G GIEE 
Table 1 Number of specimens of Hetereleotris collected by the author 
and associates in Mauritius in 1995. See text for locality and habitat data 
for each station. 

PCH 95-M station number 
1S) SOO" 1 AS ss 20022) 23 ies Ose 

H. apora = Se Tee: 2S. 34. 8 ee 
H. georgegilli ee ee eee en | 
H. poecila = <= 5. 0 = 
H. vinsoni Saii?? = ears I 
Ei zanzibarensis’ (Sey a2 | 1 Ses Aa 

species, and five had only one species. Overlap can be largely 
attributed to a single species, H. zanzibarensis; it was collected from 
a variety of habitats ranging from rock pools to reefs in 0-12 m, and 
was present at each of the stations that yielded more than one 
Hetereleotris species. The remaining species were collected from 
more restricted habitats: H. apora from around bommies, reef and 
boulders in 4-12 m;H. georgegilli from surge and tidal-current areas 
in 4-10 m;H. poecila from rock pools in 0-1 m; and H. vinsoni from 
around coral bommies and patch reefs in 0.3—1.9 m. 
TAXONOMIC NOTES. Hetereleotris apora. Hoese & Winterbottom 
(1979) described H. apora (as Lioteres aporus) from four specimens 
from Sodwana Bay, South Africa. Winterbottom & Emery (1985) 
recorded the species from the Chagos Archipelago, and Hoese 
(1986) recorded it from Saint Brandon Shoals. R. Winterbottom 
(pers. comm.) has also collected it recently from the Comores. 
Sixteen specimens collected by the author and associates represent 
a new record for Mauritius: PCH 95-M10 [USNM 344319 (1 
spec.)]; PCH 95-M13 [USNM 344320 (2)]; PCH 95-M18 [BMNH 
1997.10.24.3 (1), RUSI 56871 (1), USNM 348368 (1)]; PCH 95- 
M20 [BMNH 1997.10.24.4—S (2), RUSI 56872 (2), USNM 344321 
(4)]; PCH 95-M27 [BMNH 1997.10.24.6 (1), USNM 344322 (1)]. 
The Mauritian specimens agree well with the descriptions given by 
Hoese (1986) and Hoese & Winterbottom (1979), except that the 
superficial neuromasts are more extensive (cf. their Fig. 2 with Fig. 
1). However, this apparent difference is probably not real as superfi- 
cial neuromasts are easily abraded and often difficult to see. 
Hetereleotris poecila. Fowler (1946) described H. poecila (in his 
new monotypic genus Riukiua) based on a specimen from Aguni 
Shima, Ryukyu Islands. Akihito & Meguro (1981) reported on 
additional specimens from Japan, and Hoese (1986: 14) extended 
the range to include Taiwan (two specimens), Grand Comore Island 
(one specimen) and Sri Lanka (23 specimens). Its range is further 
extended here to Mauritius based on ten specimens collected by the 
author and associates: PCH 95-M9 [BMNH 1997.10.24.7-8 (2 
specs), RUSI 56873 (1), USNM 344333 (2)] and PCH 95-M32 
[BMNH 1997.10.24.9 (1), RUSI 56874 (1), USNM 344334 (3)]. 
Hoese (1986) noted slight differences in pectoral-fin ray number 
between the Pacific and Indian Ocean specimens: 16-18 with a 
strong mode of 17 for Indian Ocean specimens versus 16 or 17 with 
a weak mode of 16 for Pacific Ocean specimens. The following 
counts were observed in the Mauritian specimens (adult specimens 
checked only; bilateral counts included): 17 fl; 18 f13. More 
materials are needed to determine the systematic significance of the 
relatively high numbers of pectoral-fin rays in the Mauritian speci- 
mens. The specimens agree in all other respects with the descriptions 
provided by Akihito & Meguro (1981) and Hoese (1986). 
Hetereleotris vinsoni. Hoese (1986) described H. vinsoni from the 
holotype and 14 paratypes from Mauritius, and from two paratypes 
from Saint Brandon Shoals; he also listed a non-type specimen from 
Mozambique. Seven specimens were collected by the author and 
associates in Mauritius in station PCH 95-M1 [BMNH 1997.10.24.10 
