Belobranchus belobranchus (Valenciennes, 1837)
Throat-spine gudgeon

Family:  Eleotridae (Bully sleepers)
Max. size:  19.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish
Distribution:  Asia and Oceania: Indonesia, Philippines, and New Guinea. Also from Japan (Ref. 43239).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-7; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Color pattern consists of many narrow dark horizontal lines on the sides (one per scale row), generally light brown bands alternating with dark brown midlateral stripes, and the caudal fin is always spotted, alternating white and brown bands. Distinguished from Belobranchus segura by the combination of the following characters: 27-35 scales in transverse forward series (vs. 22-28); 21-34 predorsal scales (vs. 16-23); 20-23 transverse back series (vs. 18-21); head length 29-36% of SL (vs. 26-31% of SL) and predorsal length 40-46% SL (vs. (38-42 % SL) (Ref. 91761).
Biology:  Occurs in estuaries and coastal streams, usually over rocky or gravel bottoms.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 27 April 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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