Protemblemaria perla

Protemblemaria perla, the Pearl blenny,^[1] is a species of chaenopsid blenny.

Etymology

The specific name "perla", used as a noun in apposition, simultaneously refers to the pearly white bar-colouring on the body and to the Pearl Islands, where the three type specimens were collected.^[1]

Description

Based on the extremely limited sample available, males of this species are known to reach a maximum length of approximately 4.1 centimetres (1.6 in) SL while females are known to reach approximately 3 centimetres (1.2 in).^[1] The blennies are primarily brown and yellow in colour, also displaying the aforementioned white stripes.^[1] The eyes of the blenny possess pale irises with yellow or rusty lines stemming from the pupils, and pale blue dots underneath the eye sockets and around the jaws.^[1] P. perla shares the radiating lines in its eyes with its sister species P. bicirrus and P. punctata, a trait Hastings describes as being possibly unique to members of Protemblemaria. As is typical of the genus, P. perla possesses fleshy ridges between the eyes and the snout.^[1] Hastings theorizes that Protemblemaria perla is most closely related to its southern Caribbean sister taxon P. punctata.^[1]

Distribution

The full extent of the distribution of Protemblemaria perla is uncertain, as it is only known from two male and a single female specimen collected from Isla del Rey, Pearl Islands, Panama, in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.^[2]

References