本文係報告重新檢視單一模式標本之日本鰕虎魚類Gobius brunneus Temminck and Schlegel, 1845,將此確定為最早發表的吻蝦虎屬(Rhinogobius Gill , 1859)的魚種,稱之為褐吻鰕虎。本研究為了能夠找出日本何種的吻鰕魚類為Rhinogobius brunneus,我們重新採集了日本本州的長崎灣(本種之模式產地)溪流水系的三個生態共域物種之吻鰕虎魚類(Rhinogobius Gill, 1859),包括有:橫斑型、黑色型、橙色型等三種。經本研究詳細地針對模式標本與現存三種魚類之形態學比較,我們分析確定出「黑色型」為最早定名的吻鰕虎魚類。本文重新詳細描述本種之形態特徵,此重要的定名後,將對往後解析日本水域的各種吻鰕虎魚類之物種分類學上,確定有更進一步的研究助益。
Gobius brunneus Temminck and Schlegel, 1845, the oldest species of the genus Rhinogobius Gill, 1859, was described on the basis of a single specimen. At present three undescribed, but nicknamed, Rhinogobius species occur sympatrically in the river mouths in Nagasaki Bay, the type locality of Rhinogobius brunneus. In order to find out which of them can be recognized as R. brunneus, we collected the three sympatric Rhinogobius species (Rhinogobius spp. CB, DA, and OR) from river basins around the Nagasaki Bay. After comparing representatives of the three species with the holotype of G. brunneus, we conclude that the so-called "Rhinogobius sp. DA" is the most similar one. A redescription of Gobius brunneus is provided in this paper. The identification of the extant "Rhinogobius sp. DA" with R. brunneus will be beneficial for further taxonomic studies on Rhinogobius species, especially in Japanese waters.