| Family: |
Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae |
| Max. size: |
2.9 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 22 m |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: Australia (GBR), New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Solomons, the Bismark Archipelago, northern and southern New Guinea and Palau (Helen Reef). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 8-8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of a deep trough in the bony interorbital region about half pupil-diameter in width; with a shallow trough behind the eye along the upper half of the posterodorsal margin of the eye; naked predorsal midline, sides of nape is scaled to just behind the eye; no scales on cheek and opercle; the pelvic fins is connected by a basal membrane reaching to the tips of fifth ray, forming an indented plate; central 4-11 pectoral rays are branched; 5-6 light stripes (orange to red in life) on head and with dark blue interspaces, the body light with distinct scattered oval or round spots (yellowish-orange, orange or reddish in life); the snout is mostly darkly pigmented without distinct stripes in preserved material, but with orange stripes in life; the upper lip largely dark, except posteriorly, usually with orange stripes from the eye obscured by dark pigment on the jaws; uniformly dark lower lip; lower surface of the head with a black curved stripe and with a median black bar connecting to the lower lip; branchiostegal membranes are predominantly light, except for the stripe and the inner margin of the membranes (Ref. 100726). |
| Biology: |
Common on middle and outer reefs (Ref. 100726). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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