Current status of Schismatogobius marmoratus (Peters, 1868) from West Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

Schismatogobius marmoratus (Peters, 1868) was first described from Samar Island, Philippines. Known distributions from Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia. We collected several specimens from June 2021 to August 2022 during field trips to the Pamboang River, Mosso River, and Leppangan River Majene Regency, West Sulawesi. This study aimed to report the distribution of S. marmoratus from West Sulawesi. Specimens were collected using an electro shocker 120 Volt and 10 amperes, hand nets mesh size 2 mm, and trap nets mesh size 1 mm. Morphometric measurements were taken from point to point using digital calipers with a precision of 0.01 mm. These records extend its occurrence and confirm its widespread distribution in Sulawesi. The discovery of several specimens in Sulawesi increased the urgency of research to determine the distribution and the conservation status of this species, currently listed as least concern (LC) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.