THREE NEW FRESHWATER GOBIES OF THE GENUS RHINOGOBIUS

ABSTRACT. – Three new gobiid fishes of genus Rhinogobius Gill, 1859, were collected from the river basins running into the Gulf of Tonkin in northeastern Laos. These new species, R. milleri, R. nammaensis, and R. vermiculatus, are closely related to R. taenigena Chen, Kottelat et Miller, 1999; R. mekongianus (Pellegrin et Fang, 1940); and R. albimaculatus Chen, Kottelat et Miller, 1999 respectively in the tributaries of Mekong basin. They can, however, be distinguished by specific combinations of meristic features, shapes of first dorsal fin and colouration patterns