Periophthalmodon schlosseri (Pallas, 1770)
Giant mudskipper
photo by Murdy, E.O.

Family:  Oxudercidae (Mudskippers), subfamily: Periophthalminae
Max. size:  27 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 2 m, amphidromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Singapore, Bedok, Changi, Pulu Obi, Pulu ayer Merbau, Banka, Sumatra, Java, Jakarta, Madura, Borneo, Celebes, Ambon, Waigeu, New Guinea, India, Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak, and Thailand (Ref. 3178). Known from the Mekong (Ref. 12693).
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Found in the sea, estuaries, and lower reaches of rivers (Ref. 4833). Commonly found on muddy shores in estuaries and in the tidal zone of rivers (Ref. 12693). Lives in burrows in the mud and emerges on sunny days at low tide. Moves quickly across the mud, but can be caught with entangling nets strung above the ground or with cast-nets tossed onto the exposed mud (Ref. 12693). An amphibious air-breather that actively shuttles back and forth between rock pools and air (Ref. 31184). Gulps air at the surface of its burrow and then transports the air to the bottom of the burrow in order to aerate its eggs; preys upon fiddler crabs, insects and worms (Ref. 92840).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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