Valenciennea limicola Hoese & Larson, 1994
Mud goby
Valenciennea limicola
photo by Erdmann, M.V.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  6.2 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 5 - 30 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-17; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 16-17. Characterized by pale grey body color; side of snout with blue-green stripe, continued below eye and along middle of side to caudal fin and bordered by pair of orange stripes; without filamentous dorsal spines; rhomboid caudal fin, longer than head; length of caudal fin 3.0 in SL; longitudinal scale series 65-75; ctenoid body scales, becoming cycloid anteriorly below first dorsal fin and on midline of abdomen; head and midline of nape without scales; scales on side of nape extending forward to above middle of operculum; base of pectoral fin with patch of scales in adult; usually scaled prepelvic are in adult; depth of body 5.0-6.3 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Solitary or in pairs, inhabits sand or mud bottoms of coastal reefs in 5-30 m (Ref. 90102). Collected from the turbid silty mud bottom off a river mouth.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 April 2022 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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