Varicus lacerta

Taxonavigation: Gobioidei

Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Superphylum: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Megaclassis: Osteichthyes Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii Infraclassis: Teleostei Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai Supercohors: Clupeocephala Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha Subcohors: Neoteleostei Infracohors: Eurypterygia Sectio: Ctenosquamata Subsectio: Acanthomorphata Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae Series: Gobiaria Ordo: Gobiiformes Subordo: Gobioidei

Familia: Gobiidae
Subfamilia: Gobiinae
Genus: Varicus
Species: Varicus lacerta

Name

Varicus lacerta Tornabene et al., 2016

• Holotype: USNM 434796.

Type locality: Curasub submersible, sta. CURASUB15-24, southern Caribbean, Curaçao, east of downline off Substation Curacao dock, near 12.083 N, 68.899 W, 129-143 m depth.

Etymology: The specific epithet lacerta (Latin for ‘lizard’) is in reference to the reptilian or saurian appearance of this species, as indicated by its bright yellow and orange coloration, green eyes, disproportionately large head possessing raised ridges of papilla, and multiple rows of recurved canine teeth in each jaw.

Vernacular names

English: Godzilla Goby
español: gobio Godzilla

References

• Tornabene, L., Robertson, D.R. & Baldwin, C.C. 2016. Varicus lacerta, a new species of goby (Teleostei, Gobiidae, Gobiosomatini, Nes subgroup) from a mesophotic reef in the southern Caribbean. ZooKeys 596: 143–156. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.596.8217 Reference page.