| Eviota vader | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Division: | Teleostei |
| Order: | Gobiiformes |
| Family: | Gobiidae |
| Genus: | Eviota |
| Species: | E. vader |
| Binomial name | |
| Eviota vader Erdmann & Ichida, 2025 | |
Eviota vader is a species of marine fish in the family Gobiidae.
The specific epithet vader refers to Darth Vader from the Star Wars franchise, alluding to the species' exceptionally dark coloration among described dwarfgobies.
Eviota vader is distinguished by its purplish-black coloration, not reported in other species of dwarfgoby. Additional diagnostic features include a complete cephalic sensory-canal pore system, a dorsal/anal fin-ray formula of 8/7, and the presence of a fifth pelvic fin ray. It lacks dark spots on the head and at the bases of the dorsal and caudal fins, and males possess a broad, fringed urogenital papilla. The holotype measures 11.5 mm standard length.
Eviota vader is known only from the volcanic fjord region of Tufi, Papua New Guinea, specifically McLaren Fjord. The holotype was collected at a depth of 4 m from a small burrow on a reef crest. The habitat consists of large Porites and other massive corals, transitioning into branching and foliose corals along a slope descending to 40-50 m depth. The species may occur more broadly in Papua New Guinea, but its full distribution remains unknown.