Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Xenisthmidae (Collared wrigglers)
Etymology: Xenisthmus: Greek, xenos = strange + Greek, isthmos = throat, narrow passage (Ref. 45335); oligoporus: Name from Greek 'oligos' for few and 'poros' for hole; referring to the relatively low number of sensory pores on the head; noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 6 - 13 m (Ref. 115539). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea, Saudi Arabia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 2.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 115539); 2.5 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 15; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 13 - 14; Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished from it congeners in having a reduced number of cephalic
sensory pores (without A, I, J, K, P and Q pores) and in having 14-15 segmented rays in the second dorsal fin (Ref. 115539).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: oval.
Found in sandy areas (Ref. 115539).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gill, A.C., S.V. Bogorodsky and A.O. Mal, 2017. Review of Red Sea Xenisthmus Snyder, (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Xenisthmidae), with description of a new species. Zootaxa 4286(2):203-214. (Ref. 115539)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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