Thalassoma vernyhorovae (Schwarzhans, Klots and Kovalchuk, 2022)

Thalassoma vernyhorovae (Schwarzhans, Klots and Kovalchuk, 2022)

Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 I-P

2022 Blennius vernyhorovae Schwarzhans, Klots and Kovalchuk ; Schwarzhans et al., fig. 8ca-b.

Material. 32 otoliths: 3 specimens, NMNHU-P PI 2730 , Lisohirka ; 9 specimens, NMNHU-P PI 2731 , Mlyntsi ; 20 specimens, NMNHU-P PI 2732 , Staryi Zavod .

Discussion. Blennius vernyhorovae was established on two specimens. Many new specimens now available show that the species, too, represents a labrid. There are relatively few otoliths in labrids known today with such a deep ventral rim, that is, in the genera Halichoeres Rüppell, 1835 , Thalassoma Swainson, 1839 , and Xyrichthys Cuvier, 1814 . We consider Thalassoma as having the most similar otolith morphology (see Smale et al., 1995; Rivaton and Bourret, 1999; Lin and Chang, 2012, for extant labrid otoliths). Available ontogenetic sequence demonstrates that T. vernyhorovae does not reach the size of Coris medoboryensis (1.7 vs. 2.5 mm in length), and that morphological maturity is reached in T. vernyhorovae between 1.2 mm ( Figure 7N View FIGURE 7 ) and 1.4 mm in length ( Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 L-M).