Species: Psilotris laetarii, Burrow Splitfin Goby

Psilotris laetarii Van Tassell & Young, 2016

Burrow Splitfin Goby

Body slightly compressed; head rounded; no head pores; front nostril tubular, rear nostril a raised rim or short tube; teeth at front of mouth in several rows, outer row enlarged; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII (none elongate) + I, 10 (9-10); length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 8 (7-8); pectoral 15-16; pelvic fins I, 5 completely separate, no frenum between spines or membrane connecting inner rays, rays 1-4 branched, without fleshy or flattened tips, 5th ray unbranched, ½ length of 4th, fins extend ¾ way to anus; tail fin oval; scales absent; no lateral line.

Head and body whitish; head with 3 orange-yellow lines, down under eye, back to corner of preoperculum, from eye to top corner of operculum, top of head with orange-yellow reticulum; body with a reticulum of orange-yellow lines, lightening posteriorly; head and body with numerous black dots, those darker on yellow-orange marks; 1st dorsal fin with 3 thin, oblique orange-yellow stripes, 2nd dorsal with 5 oblique stripes; tail fin translucent, with 5 thin vertical orange bars; anal and pelvic fins unpigmented; pectoral fin translucent, base white, with an orange-yellow spot at top.

Reaches 3 cm

Lives on sand and rubble bottoms, in or adjacent to burrows of the Yellowhead jawfish, Opistognathus aurifrons.

Depth range 8-10 m.

Known only from SE Florida.