Gobiodon brochus: A new species of gobiid fish (Teleostei : Gobioidei) from the Western South Pacific, with a description of its unique jaw morphology

Gobiodon brochus, a coral commensal, is described based on material from Fi ji, the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Tonga. Previously, G. brochu s specimens have been misidentified as G. micropus Gunther. Gobiodon brochu s is similar to G. micropus but has a dentigerous pad anterior to the denta ry symphysis. The presence of numerous, occasionally hooked, teeth on the p ad and its firm attachment to the jaw by dense connective tissue suggest th at it may have an important, to the present unobserved, role in the feeding mechanism.