Members of this species used to be assigned to the widespread species Exyrias belissimus but it differs from that species in a number of respects, notably in the very long dorsal fin spines and the paler coloration with numerous yellow or orange spots on all parts. It also differs in habitat preference: E. belissimus is a bottom-dwelling species of turbid waters while E. akihito prefers clear water and is usually found on coral rubble or sandy patches near coral reefs at a depth of 10–43 m.[1]
The species was named in honour of Emperor Akihito of Japan, who is a keen ichthyologist with a special interest in gobies. Type material for the new species was in part procured by the Imperial Household Agency's Biological Laboratory.[2]
See also
Akihito, genus of the family Gobiidae named after Akihito
Allen, Gerald R. & Randall, John E. (2005): Exyrias akihito, a new species of coral-reef goby (Gobiidae) from the western pacific. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology53(2): 231–235. PDF fulltext
Randall, John E. (2008): Two new species and three new records of gobiid fishes from the Marshall Islands. Micronesica40(1/2): 285–303. PDF fulltext
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