Ryan Photographic - Gobiidae - Gobies


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Family Gobiidae - gobies

FishBase lists 212 genera and 1875 species in this enormously important but often over-looked family. Gobies are ubiquitous - they are found in desert pools in Australia, freshwaters of the Pacific Islands and in all the world's oceans. If we accept the figure of 28,000 fish species then approximately one in every 14 fish species is a goby.

Gobies are fond of associations. Ghostgobies and spongegobies are intimately associated with their hosts - going so far as to abuse this hospitality by laying their eggs on them. A whole suite of gobies share a burrow with prawns. These prawn or shrimp gobies act as sentinels for the shrimp. Their keen eyesight spots potential predators at a distance and the goby responds by backing (or diving) into the burrow. The nearly-blind shrimps normally keep an antenna on their watch goby and immediately take refuge when their pusillanimous lodger heads for shelter.

Gobies are important in Pacific Island streams and several species lay eggs which hatch and drift downstream to the ocean. Depending on species there may be a mass migration of the youngsters back up river a few weeks or months later. These goby populations can reach high densities. Because they are algal grazers they are the primary consumers and have more energy available to them than if they were predators. I wrote a paper about this and other factors entitled "The success of the Gobiidae in tropical Pacific insular streams".

In the Caribbean neon gobies work as fish cleaners. Unlike cleaner wrasse in the Pacific where only one or two individuals are involved it isn't uncommon to see a dozen neon gobies cleaning their patient.

Gobies don't always stay where they should. The round goby, Neogobius melanstomus, arrived in the Great Lakes of North America in 1990, presumably in ballast water of ships traveling from its native Black and Caspian Seas.

 

Amblygobius albimaculatus Butterfly goby

Amblygobius albimaculatus Butterfly goby Red Sea

FISH 7376 Amblygobius albimaculatus Butterfly goby Red Sea

Amblygobius decussatus Crosshatch goby

Crosshatch goby

FISH 7717 Amblygobius decussatus Crosshatch goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat - this specimen is paler than typical.

Amblygobius phalaena, Brown-barred goby

brown-barred goby

FISH 8658 Amblygobius phalaena, Brown-barred goby, Mamanucas, Fiji. This is atypical coloration as the bars are not evident.

brown-barred goby

FISH 8655 Amblygobius phalaena, Brown-barred goby, Mamanucas, Fiji.

Amblygobius phalaena Banded goby Puerto Galera, Philippines

FISH 7677 Amblygobius phalaena Banded goby Puerto Galera, Philippines.

Amblygobius rainfordi Old Glory

Old glory goby

Amblygobius rainfordi Old Glory, Mamanucas, Fiji.

Amblyeleotris guttatus Spotted shrimp goby

Amblyeleotris guttatus Spotted shrimp goby (Sulawesi)
Amblyeleotris guttata Sopotted shrimpgoby Puerto Galera, Philippines

FISH 7662 Amblyeleotris guttata Spotted shrimpgoby Puerto Galera, Philippines.

Amblyeleotris gymnocephala Nakedhead shrimp goby

nakedhead shrimpgoby photo

FISH 0387 Amblyeleotris gymnocephala Nakedhead shrimp goby, Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, Indonesia.

Amblyeleotris randalli Randall's shrimp goby

Amblyeleotris randalli Randall's shrimp goby (Fiji)

Amblyeleotris species Shrimp goby

unidentified shrimp goby

FISH 1565 Amblyeleotris species Unidentified shrimp goby. Raja Ampat, West Papua, New Zealand.

shrimpgoby and shrimp

FISH 3026 Amblyeleotris species Unidentified shrimp goby and shrimp. Raja Ampat, West Papua, New Zealand.

Amblyeleotris species Freckled shrimp-goby

Amblyeleotris sp. Freckled shrimp goby Raja Ampat

FISH 9729 Amblyeleotris species Freckled shrimp-goby, Raja Ampat

Amblyeleotris steinitzi Steinitz shrimp goby

Amblyeleotris steinitzi, Steinitz' shrimp goby (Gobiidae), Kadavu, Fiji.

FISH 3553 Amblyeleotris steinitzi, Steinitz' shrimp goby, Kadavu, Fiji.

Awaous guamensis Scribbled Goby

Awaous guamensis Scribbled  Goby, Namosi road stream, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7509 Awaous guamensis Scribbled Goby, Vitilevu, Fiji

Awaous guamensis Scribbled  Goby, Namosi road stream, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7543 Awaous guamensis Scribbled Goby, Vitilevu, Fiji

Awaous guamensis Scribbled  Goby, Namosi road stream, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7573 Awaous guamensis Scribbled Goby, Vitilevu, Fiji

Bryaninops dianneae Fiji sponge goby

Bryaninops dianneae goby on sponge (Fiji endemic)

Bryaninops tigris Black coral goby

Black coral goby photo

FISH 1525 Bryaninops tigris Black coral goby on black coral tree, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Bryaninops tigris, Black coral goby, spawning pair, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7429 Bryaninops tigris, Black coral goby, spawning pair, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Bryaninops yongei Seawhip goby

Bryaninops yongei goby on seawhip (Fiji)
Bryaninops yongei goby on seawhip 2 (Fiji)

Coryphopterus alloides Barfin goby

Coryphopterus alloides

FISH 0815 Coryphopterus alloides Barfin goby, Roatan

Coryphopterus aureus Goldenspot goby

Coryphopterus aureus Goldenspot goby Raja Ampat

FISH 0889 Coryphopterus aureus Goldenspot goby Raja Ampat.

Coryphopterus aureus Goldenspot goby Puerto Galera, Philippines

FISH 7798 Coryphopterus aureus Goldenspot goby Puerto Galera, Philippines.

Coryphopterus hyalinus or personatus 

Coryphopterus Masked or glass goby Belize

Coryphopterus hyalinus or personatus Glover's Reef, Belize

Coryphopterus Masked or glass goby, Roatan

FISH 0710 Coryphopterus Masked or glass goby, Roatan.

Coryphopterus inframaculatus Innerspotted sandgoby or Blotched goby

Coryphopterus inframaculatus Innerspotted sandgoby

FISH 8695 Coryphopterus inframaculatus Innerspotted sandgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Coryphopterus inframaculatus Blotched goby Puerto Galera, Philippines

FISH 8077 Coryphopterus inframaculatus Blotched goby Puerto Galera, Philippines.

Coryphopterus lipernes Peppermint goby

Coryphopterus lipernes Peppermint goby

FISH 2513 Coryphopterus lipernes Peppermint goby, Glover's Reef, Belize

Coryphopterus lipernes Peppermint goby

FISH 2413 Coryphopterus lipernes Peppermint goby, Glover's Reef, Belize

Coryphopterus neophytus Neophyte goby

Coryphopterus neophytus Neophyte goby,

FISH 2551 Coryphopterus neophytus Neophyte goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Coryphopterus signipinnis Signalfin goby

Coryphopterus signipinnis signalfin goby Raja Ampat

FISH 0950 Coryphopterus signipinnis signalfin goby Raja Ampat.

Coryphopterus tortugae Patch reef goby

Coryphopterus glaucofraenum Bridled goby Belize

FISH 2613 Coryphopterus tortugae Patch reef goby, Glover's Reef, Belize

Coryphopterus glaucofraenum Bridled goby, Glover's Reef,  Belize

FISH 3454 Coryphopterus tortugae Patch reef goby, Glover's Reef, Belize

Coryphopterus urospilus Redlight goby

Coryphopterus urospilus, redlight goby, Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur

FISH 5255 Coryphopterus urospilus, redlight goby, Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur

Cryptocentrus cinctus Banded shrimp goby

banded shrimp goby photo

FISH 0426 Cryptocentrus cinctus Banded shrimp goby with commensal shrimp in burrow, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

banded shrimp goby and prawn

FISH 0436 Cryptocentrus cinctus Banded shrimp goby with commensal shrimp in burrow, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

yellow banded shrimp goby

FISH 0409 Cryptocentrus cinctus Banded shrimp goby, yellow morph in burrow, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Elacatinus punticulatus, Redhead goby gold stripe variant

redhead goby photo

FISH 5250 Elacatinus punticulatus, Redhead goby gold stripe variant, Sea of Cortez.

redhead goby goldstripe variant photo

FISH 5950 Elacatinus punticulatus, Redhead goby gold stripe variant, Sea of Cortez.

Eviota albolineata Redspotted pygmygoby

Eviota albolineata Redspotted pygmygoby

FISH 7495 Eviota albolineata Redspotted pygmygoby Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Pygmy goby

FISH 0682 Eviota albolineata Redspotted pygmygoby, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Note Santia species isopods on the sponge substrate.

Eviota prasites Red & whitespotted pygmygoby

Eviota prasites, Red & whitespotted pygmygoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7485 Eviota prasites, Red & whitespotted pygmygoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Eviota smaragdus Ear-spot pygmy goby

Eviota smaragdus Ear-spot pygmy goby, Fiji

Exyrias bellisimus Beautiful goby

Beautiful goby photo

FISH 1660 Exyrias bellisimus Beautiful goby, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Probably named by someone who was drunk at the time ... photo by Mike Agnew but I hold copyright.

Gnatholepis anjerensis Eyebar goby

Eyebar goby photo

FISH 2387 Gnatholepis anjerensis Eyebar goby, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Gnatholepis cauerensis Sand goby

Gnatholepis cauerensis sand goby (Sulawesi)

Gobiodon citrinus?Lemon coral goby

Phot of citrus coral goby

FISH 4070 Gobiodon citrinus Lemon coral goby? in Acropora coral, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Gobiosoma illecebrosum Barsnout goby

Gobiosoma illecebrosum Barsnout goby on coral, Cozumel
Gobiosoma illecebrosum Barsnout goby (Cozumel)
Gobiosoma illecebrosum, Barsnout goby

FISH 3265 Gobiosoma illecebrosum Barsnout goby, Glover's Reef Belize.

Gobiosoma oceanops Neon goby

Gobiosoma oceanops neon gobies cleaning green moray eel Gymnothorax funebris at Glover's Reef, Belize.
Gobiosoma oceanops neon gobies cleaing green moray eel Gymnothorax funebris at Glover's Reef, Belize 2.
Gobiosoma oceanops neon gobies on brain coral, Glover's Reef, Belize
Gobiosoma oceanops neon goby on sponge, Glover's Reef, Belize
Gobiosoma oceanops neon goby on brain coral, Glover's Reef, Belize
Gobiosoma oceanops neon gobies on brain coral, Glover's Reef, Belize 2.

Istigobius rigilius Orangespotted goby

Istigobius rigilius Orangespotted goby Kri Eco Raja Ampat

FISH 9194 Istigobius rigilius Orangespotted goby (ID tentative) Kri Eco Raja Ampat.

Istigobius species

photo if isitgobius species

FISH 0448 Istigobius species , Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Luposicya lupus Yellow sponge goby

photo of yellow sponge goby with eggs

Luposicya lupus yellow sponge goby pair guarding eggs , Marovo Lagoon, Solomon Islands

Lythrypnus dalli Blue-banded goby

Photo of blue-banded goby

FISH 5239 Lythrypnus dalli Blue-banded goby one of several species of brilliantly colored small bottom-living fishes from the Sea of Cortez, Baja California Sur.

Periophthalmus sp. Mud skipper

Periopththalmus sp. Mudskipper (Fiji) on branch
Periopththalmus sp. Mudskipper (Fiji) head shot

Pleurosicya boldinghi Soft coral ghost goby

boldinghi

FISH 7107 Pleurosicya boldinghi, Soft coral ghost goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pleurosicya boldinghi, Soft coral ghost goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7108 Pleurosicya boldinghi, Soft coral ghost goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pleurosicya boldinghi, Soft coral ghost goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7109 Pleurosicya boldinghi, Soft coral ghost goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pleurosicya elongata Elongate ghostgoby

Pleurosicya elongata, Elongate ghostgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7021 Pleurosicya elongata, Elongate ghostgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pleurosicya elongata, Elongate ghostgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7021 Pleurosicya elongata, Elongate ghostgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pink Pleurosicya elongata, Elongate ghostgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

Pleurosicya mossambica Common ghostgoby

Pleurosicya mossambica Common ghostgoby on seapen Puerto Galera, Philippines

FISH 5168 Pleurosicya mossambica Common ghostgoby on seapen Puerto Galera, Philippines.

Redigobius leveri Fijian endemic freshwater goby

Redigobius leveri, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7495 Redigobius leveri, Vitilevu, Fiji.

Redigobius leveri endemic Fijian freshwater goby head shot
Redigobius leveri
Redigobius leveri 3/4 shot
Redigobius leveri Fijian freshwater endemic goby side on

Sicyopterus lagocephalus

female Sicyopterus, Fiji

FISH 4796 Female Sicyopterus lagocephalus, Wailoku near Suva, Fiji.

Female Sicyopterus goby Fiji

FISH 4804 Female Sicyopterus lagocephalus, Wailoku near Suva, Fiji.

Sicyopus zosterophorum freshwater goby

Sicyopus zosterophorum freshwater goby head shot.
Sicyopus zosterophorum whole animal
Sicyopus zosterophorum freshwater goby head shot 2
Sicyopus zosterophorum freshwater goby head on
Sicyopus zosterophorum whole animal 2
Sicyopus zosterophorum whole animal 3

Signigobius biocellatus Signal goby

photo of singal goby pair
FISH 1731 Signigobius biocellatus Signal goby pair, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.
Signigobius biocellatus Signal goby Marovo Lagoon Solomon Islands

Stiphodon rutilaureus

Stiphodon species, male, Namosi Road stream, Vitilevu, Fij

FISH 7491 Stiphodon rutilaureus, male, Vitilevu, Fiji.

Stiphodon male, Namosi Road stream, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7522 Stiphodon rutilaureus, Vitilevu, Fiji.

Stiphodon male, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7528 Stiphodon rutilaureus, Vitilevu, Fiji.

Stiphodon female, Vitilevu, Fiji

FISH 7553 Stiphodon rutilaureus, Vitilevu, Fiji.

Trimma benjamini Benjamin's goby

Trimma benjamini Ringeye dwarfgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 8665 Trimma benjamini Ringeye dwarfgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Trimma benjamini Ringeye dwarfgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7174 Trimma benjamini Ringeye dwarfgoby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Trimma benjamini Benjamin's goby (Fiji)

Valenciennea decora

Valenciennea decora in Fiji.  Pair by burrow.

Valenciennea muralis Mural goby

Photo of mural goby

FISH 0442 Valenciennea muralis Mural goby pair hovering by burrow, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Valenciennea puellaris Orange-dashed goby

Photo of orange dashed goby

FISH 0468 Valenciennea puellaris Orange-dashed goby, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

Valenciennea puellaris Orange-dashed goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7227 Valenciennea puellaris Orange-dashed goby, Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Valenciennea sexguttatus Sixspot goby

Valenciennea sexguttatus Sixspot goby Kri Eco, Raja Ampat

FISH 7972 Valenciennea sexguttatus Sixspot goby Kri Eco, Raja Ampat.

Valenciennea strigata Bluestreak goby

Photo of bliestreak goby pair

FISH 0871 Valenciennea strigata Bluestreak goby pair hovering near burrow, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia.

 

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