GOBIES - GOBIIDAE
Often confused with Blennies (Blenniidae), gobies have two dorsal fins instead of one long one. The goby family is the largest family of marine fishes with up to 1,600 species in 220 genera. Around five-hundred species inhabit the Indo-Pacific region, but there are certainly many who remain un-described. Some species inhabit silty reefs with stones or dead corals; others like the Gobiodon sp. inhabit healthy reefs with many Acropora and Pocillipora colony's. Most are carnivore and feed on tiny crustaceans. A few species feed on drifting plankton that passes just above the bottom. The so called "shrimp gobies" share a burrow with a snapping shrimp from the genus Alpheus. The nearly blind shrimp needs the gobies sharp eyes in case of danger. In return the goby can enjoy the hospitality of the shrimp and house in his self-made burrow. During the day the shrimp keeps on bringing out sand and rubble from the burrow like a bulldozer. While the goby hovers in front of their habitat and keeps an eye on the surroundings, the shrimp stays in contact with the goby by putting one of his long antennas against the tail or rear dorsal fin. In case of any danger, the goby warns the shrimp with a tail-twitch. The shrimp will go into the burrow first followed by the goby. Most species don't become longer than fifteen centimeters. The smallest is the Trimmaton nanus from the Chagos Archipel which is smaller than one centimeter. All females lay their eggs in a nest made by the male underneath a stone or in front of their burrow. Both will guard the egg mass till they hatch. Length: 12 cm.
Distribution: from E- Africa to SW- Japan, Samoa and Great Barrier Reef.
Pale grey to pinkish body with mid-lateral row of large dark-brown spots, smaller
spots and blotches on back. Blue bordered dark-red stripe on second dorsal fin,
dorsal fin extents onto tail. Mostly hovers above burrow which they share with
snapping shrimp. Sand areas of lagoons and bays, from -4 to -25 m. Length: 18 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea to S.E- Japan, Line Is, French Polynesia and S.E- Australia.
White body and yellow head, curved light blue stripes underneath the eyes and on
gill plate. Feeds on small bentic invertebrates, fishes and fish eggs.
Usually in pairs, sharing one burrow. Juveniles often in groups.
In areas with sand and rubble of clear lagoons and seaward reefs, down to -24 m.
Length: 14 cm.
Distribution: E- Africa and Red Sea to SW- Japan, Line Is, Fiji, Tonga and G.B.R.
White-grey body with six or more bright-blue spots on the cheeks.
Black spot on first dorsal fin.
Often in pairs, sharing the same burrow in fine sand or silty bottoms.
In lagoons, bays and coastal shorelines, from -3 to -10 m. Length: 15 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to S- Japan, Samoa, G.B.R. and New Caledonia.
Grey-pinkish body with blue streaks on the chin, orange dash-dot design on body.
Orange lines can be vertical or horizontal. Usually in pairs, they close their burrow
with small stones during night time.
On sand bottoms of lagoons and sheltered coastal reefs, from -8 to -25 m. Length: 25 cm.
Distribution: S- Red Sea & E- Africa to S- Japan, Marquesas Is and Great Barrier Reef.
Greyish body with two red-brown lines from snout to end of forked-tail fin.
Often with yellow streak from cheek to pectoral fin base, large white-edged black spot
on first dorsal fin. Usually in pairs, sand and rubble areas at the base of coastal reef dropoffs and slopes. From -5 to -45 m. Length: 3 cm.
Distribution: from the Maldives to Philippines, Palau, Papua New Guinea and G.B.R.
Pinkish body with yellow snout. Red-orange horizontal lines on the head, mostly fade out around mid-body. Solitary or in small groups, resting on the bottom, coral or sponges. In lagoons and on seaward reefs, from -2 to -30 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: from Philippines to Marshall Is, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
White to pale-grey body, with eight orange-red vertical bars on head and body.
White marks on snout, no scales on head, red upper and under lip.
Solitary or in small groups, mostly seen resting on top of hard corals.
Steep reef- slopes and walls, from -9 to -35 m. Length: 7,5 cm.
Distribution: only known from Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo.
Greyish rear body with white blotches, often brown mottled.
Brown or green front body, white blotches and spots. Fan shaped first dorsal fin,
has same colour like front body, with protruding filaments and a blue spot.
Share burrow with alpheid shrimp. Sand and rubble areas, from -3 to -20 m. Length: 11 cm.
Distribution: E- Andaman sea to Indonesia, S- Japan and Palau.
White to brown body with numerous small brown spots and large dark brown to black
blotches. First tall sail-shaped dorsal fin with brown spots and pale-edged black spot. Lives in burrows with alpheid shrimp Alpheus bellulus.
Sheltered sand slopes, from -6 to -30 m. Length: 6 cm.
Distribution: from Indonesia to S- Japan, Fiji and Great Barrier Reef.
Very similar to S. nematodes but no long black filament dorsal fin.
White body with 4 black bands, yellow face and sail-like first dorsal fin.
Lives together with the snapping shrimp Alpheus randalli on sand slopes of seaward reefs, from -15 to -25 m. Length: 6 cm.
Distribution: from Indonesia to S.W- Japan, Samoa and E- Australia.
Very similar to S. xanthorhinica, white to pale brown body with 4 pale blue edged black diagonal bands, yellow face and long black filament dorsal fin.
Shares a burrow with the snapping shrimp Alpheus randalli, in lagoons and outer reef slopes, from -5 to -25 m. Length: 4 cm.
Distribution: from Maldives to Indonesia, P.N.G, Ashmore Reef and G.B.R.
Translucent elongate body with long snout.
Spots and dash pattern usually similar to host, fan-shaped sponge Ianthella basta.
On all kind of reefs, from -10 to -40 m. Length: 20 cm.
Distribution: Indonesia, Philippines, S- Japan, Papua New Guinea and N- Australia.
Pale blue-grey with diagonal blue bands on the sides, pale blue band from between eyes to dorsal fin. Irregular pale blue markings on head, yellowish shine on gill cover and belly. Hover just above the bottom, always close to their burrow. Solitary or in small groups. On silty slopes and muddy bottoms, mostly between -10 and -40 m. Length: 4 cm.
Distribution: N- Sulawesi (Indonesia), Philippines, ?.
Translucent yellow, upward mouth. Very similar to Gobiodon okinawae.
On silty sandy bottoms of lagoons and sheltered coastal reefs, photographed at -16 m. No more information on this specimen found. Length: 4 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to SW- Japan, Fiji and Great Barrier Reef.
Very dark brown with a wide white band going from the snout to the dorsal fin.
Ocellus on first dorsal fin, one small white saddle before 2th dorsal fin and one before the tail fin. Tail fin has large brown spots, two large white spots on pectoral fins. Very shy, hoovers at the entrance of it’s burrow. Shares it’s burrow with the shrimp Alpheus rubromaculatus. On sand patches of reef flats, lagoons and seaward reefs. From -0,2 to -20 m. Length: 12 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to Taiwan, Samoa, Mariana Is. and Australia.
White to grey body with several rows of small brown and white or blue and red spots, depends the area. Four to five dark brown to black streaks on the side.
Lives solitary on sand patches of clear lagoons and seaward reefs, down to -25 m. Length: 3,5 cm.
Distribution: N-Sulawesi (Indonesia),to S- Japan, Marshall Is, S- G.B.R, Rowley Shoals. Bright yellow, adults with white to pale pink area on cheeks.
In small aggregations up to 15 individuals, live above and between the branches of
acropora (staghorn) coral. In lagoons and sheltered coastal reefs, from -2 to -15 m.
Length: 8,4 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea & E- Africa to SW- Japan, Hawaii, Marquesas Is, New Caledonia.
White to almost translucent with numerous pale brown spots on body, dorsal- and
tail fin. Dotted line from pelvic fin to tail base, often short line behind the eyes.
Fine brown line going from cheek to cheek, through the eyes and over the fore head. Shallow seaward reefs and estuaries, from -1 to -46 m. Length: 13 cm.
Distribution: from E- Africa to SW- Japan, Samoa, Fiji and Great Barrier Reef.
Dark brown to greenish body, cheeks have small red and white dots.
Very large dorsal fins which have a dash line pattern, the tail fin has the same pattern. Solitary or in small groups, on mud bottoms of silty coastal reefs down to -20 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: Seyshelles to Bonin Isl, P.N.G, Carolin Isl, Tonga and Australia.
Translucent body with reddish internal, often with brown belly.
White spots and dash-marks on body, white stripe on pectoral fin base.
This specimen lives only for 59 days. Solitary or in groups, on sand or rubble bottoms of lagoons or sheltered coastal reefs, from -3 to -21 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea to SW- Japan, Samoa, Marshall Is, G.B.R. and New Caledonia.
Translucent body with a black inside in the top-part. Yellow-white dashed line from
head to tail, yellow-white line above the eyes.
Mostly in small groups, resting on hard corals from the Porites family.
In lagoons and on seaward reefs, down to -20 m. Length: 3 cm.
Distribution: from Indonesia to S- Japan, Guam, Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Translucent back with red mid-body, yellow stripes from on the head (true the eye) to mid-body. Bright white line on the side of belly. Solitary or in small groups, among hard- and leather corals. In sheltered lagoons and coastal reefs, from -3 to -20 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: from Philippines to S- Japan, Indonesia, Australia and New Caledonia. Red body and head with white belly and white stripe on back and head.
White stripe above the eyes, and black blotch on tail base.
Mostly in groups, among branching and encrusting corals.
In lagoons and sheltered coastal reefs, from -6 to -20 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea to S- Japan, Micronesia, Samoa and Australia.
Translucent body with large brown-red spots, white stripe from snout to mid-body
and belly. Solitary or in small groups, coastal areas with algae and coral growth.
In lagoons and on seaward reefs, to -15 m. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to SW- Japan, Micronesia and New Caledonia.
Very similar to C. crocineus (previous). Whitish with brown spots on the dorsal area, and a dashed line on the sides. Often with very fine pale blue spots, White spot on pectoral fins. Usually in pairs, uses the burrow of an alpheid shrimp to hide. On sand or rubble, lagoon or coastal reefs, from -1 to -20 m. Length: 5 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to SW-Japan, Palau and Great Barrier Reef.
White-greyish body with orange-brown dashed line from pectoral fins towards tail fin. Orange spots on back and head, dark encircled yellow spots on sides.
White blotch on pectoral fins. Shares burrow with alpheid shrimp.
Sand and rubble areas of lagoons and coastal reefs, down to -15 m. Length: 7 cm.
Distribution: from E- Africa to SW- Japan, Marshall Is. and Samoa.
Light brown with white body, irregular darker brown bands. Four to five black spots
on the sides, these spots are bordered with very fine white spots.
Lighter area in front of pectoral fins, two fine bright blue lines at end of the anal fin.
In lagoons and coastal reefs with a silty bottom, from -1 to -10 m. Length: 10,5 cm.
Distribution: from the Andaman Sea to SW- Japan, Palau and Papua New Guinea.
White-greyish body with dark-brown bars running from back to belly.
Light-blue to white spots on side of the head, pair of dark-brown spots behind mouth and on gill plate. Light-blue line or shine on dorsal fins.They share a burrow with an snapping shrimp. On sand bottoms of lagoons and shoreline reefs, from -2 to -20 m. Length: 12 cm.
Distribution: Malaysia to S.W. Japan, Philippines, Indonesia and Palau.
Whitish with dark brown forehead and neck. Several dark bars on sides and back.
Three to four brown spots on gill plate. Share burrow with alpheid shrimp.
Estuarines and sheltered coastal sand flats, to -7 m. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: from Red Sea & E- Africa to Indonesia, Solomon Is. and G.B.R.
Mostly completely dark, often with white irregular bars or saddles on head and back. Numerous white to pale blue spots on head and body, often form streaks.
Pale blue horizontal lines on anal fin, blue spots on pectoral and pelvic fins.
Shares a burrow with alpheid shrimp. Sand areas of Coastal reefs, from -5 to -20 m. Length: 7 cm.
Distribution: from the Andaman Sea to SW- Japan, Chuuk and Australia.
Colour can vary, from yellow to white-greyish with 4 to 5 black bars.
Pale blue spots on head and pelvic fins. White spots on both dorsal fins.
Commonly in pairs of the same variation. Share their burrow with snapping shrimp.
On sheltered sand and mud bottoms, from -2 to -15 m. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: from E- Africa to S- Japan, Mariana Is, NW- Australia and G.B.R.
There are different variations known. Around 8 irregular brown bars on body, small
blue spots on head and body. Dark-pink to red markings on head.
Some specimen have dark vertical bars on dorsal and anal fin.
Share burrow with snapping shrimp, In lagoon and sheltered reefs to -6 m. Length: 3 cm. Distribution: from Indonesia and Philippines to Guam and Great Barrier Reef.
A translucent body with very fine brown spots, red with brown or black marking on
first dorsal fin. Solitary, lives at the base of coral crops.
In lagoons or on seaward reefs, from -3 to -30 m. Length: 3,5 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to S- Japan, Hawaii, French Polynesia and G.B.R.
Translucent body with a few reddish-brown diffuse bars, red eye.
Mostly seen on Cirripathes anguina whip coral, sometimes also seen on bubble coral like on the photographs below. In lagoons and on seaward reefs with a good current, from -3 to -45 m. Length: 2,5 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to SW- Japan, Micronesia, Cook Is. and G.B.R.
Translucent body with yellow internal, from belly to anal fin.
Red to lavender eyes and fore head. All fins translucent.
Forms small groups, hovering above Acropora corals.
In lagoons or outer reefs, from -12 to -25 m. Length: 14,5 cm.
Distribution: R. Sea & S- Africa to S.W- Japan, Hawaii, Fr. Polynesia and N. Caledonia.
Brown upper body with white under body, dark brown to black band between eyes
and from eyes to tail. Rows of small blue spots on sides. Mostly seen hovering just
above substrate. Solitary or in small groups, on sand and rubble bottoms.
On sheltered coastal reefs, from -10 to -30 m. Length: 6 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea & E- Africa to S- Japan, Hawaii, Rapa Is, L. Howe and Australia.
Pale brown to black with dark brown saddles from the back to the pale belly.
Numerous small pale blue spots on the sides of head, body and anal fin.
Hides in a burrow for protection. Solitary or in small groups, on algae-covered rubble and rocks. At sheltered coastal reefs, from -1 to -20 m. Length: 13 cm.
Distribution: from the Andaman Sea to SW- Japan, French Polynesia and Rapa Is.
Brown-greenish with dark brown to black vertical bars which most of the time have
grey to light blue borderlines. Red dots on top of the head and blue lines on the
cheeks. Black spot on first dorsal fin. Solitary or in pairs, hoovers in front of it’s
burrow. On sandy with rubble areas among algae or seagrass. Down to -20 m.
Length: 5,5 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to SW- Japan, Caroline Is. and Indonesia.
Dark brown with 4 bright yellow stripes on the back and 1 white stripe on the sides.
Lower body blue greyish. Ocellus on both dorsal fins and on tail fin, first dorsal fin
has two red marks. Lives solitary near sand areas of a reef, always close to a hiding-place. From -3 to -30 m. Feeds on plankton. Length: 9,5 cm.
Distribution: from Philippines to SW- Japan, Micronesia, New Caledonia and Australia.
White-blue body with orange to red vertical and horizontal lines. Two horizontal lines continue over the head. Orange to red spot on tail base. Uses vertical tube-like burrows for refuge. On silt, mud and sand bottoms of bays and lagoons.
From -3 to -25 m. Feeds by sifting sand to catch small invertebrates and others. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: from Singapore to N- Borneo, Indonesia and Australia.
Whitish belly and lower tail-base. Brown to black irregular bars on back.
Horizontal, blue-margined, brown band over snout and true eyes.
Black spot next to pectoral fins, pale blue diagonal line on cheeks.
Solitary or in pairs, on silty areas with stones and rubble. Down to -5 m. Length: 12 cm. Distribution: from Bali to S.W- Japan, Palau and Papua New Guinea.
Very similar to Amblyeleotris aurora who has red spots on the tailfin.
White body with five orange-brown vertical bars. Yellow tail-anal and 2th dorsal fin,
with fine blue lines. Shares a burrow with the snapping shrimp Alpheus randalli.
On sand of lagoons, coastal and offshore reefs from -3 to -35 m. Length: 10 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea and E- Africa to S- Japan, Marshall Is, NW- Australia and G.B.R.
White to yellowish body with six dark red bars, orange to red spots on the head,
dorsal, tail and pectoral fins. Fine blue spots on the body, blue edged red stripe on
anal fin. They share a burrow with snapping shrimp Alpheus ochrostriatus.
On sand with rubble of lagoons and outer reef slopes, from -2 to -40 m. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: from the Red Sea to S- Africa, SW- Japan, Micronesia, Samoa and G.B.R. White body with brown horizontal bars. mostly dark forehead.
Common, mostly living together with the shrimp Alpheus djeddensis.
On sandy areas of outer reefs and lagoons, from -6 to -35 m. Length: 9 cm.
Distribution: currently only known from Bali and Raja Ampat in Indonesia and
Negros Is. Philippines. White-ish body with 5 to 6 red-brown bars, brown spots on
back. Snout and forehead from light-brown to almost black. Fine red and blue margin on dorsal- and upper tailfin. Light-blue spots and lines on the side and the back of the head. In coastal bays and estuaries, from -2 to -20 m. Length: 9 cm.
Distribution: from Indonesia to SW- Japan, Fiji and Great Barrier Reef.
White body with six to seven yellow to orange bars, first dorsal fin has white margin
and many white spots. Very easy to recognise because of the black spot on dorsal fin. Thirth bar from the head continues on dorsal fin. In small caves and under overhangs on steep outer reef slopes and dropoffs, from -15 to 48 m. Length: 8 cm.
Distribution: Andaman Sea to S.W- Japan, Samoa and Great Barrier Reef.
White with six orange-brown bands on body, often with grey areas centre band.
Irregular grey-brown blotches between bars. Red- orange encircled yellow spots on head. Share their burrow with an alpheid shrimp.
Sand and rubble areas of lagoons and seaward reefs. From -3 to -35 m. Length: 10 cm. Distribution: from the Malaysian Peninsula to Philippines and Indonesia.
Greyish body with 3 to 4 broad dark-brown bars, dark-edged orange spots on body
and pale-edged orange spots on first dorsal fin and on the tips of the second.
Red horizontal stripe with light-blue outline on bottom of anal fin. Shares burrow with snapping shrimp. On sand bottoms of lagoons and seaward reefs, from -5 to -40 m. Length: 10 cm.
Distribution: from Malaysia to Marshall Is.(Micronesia) and NW- Australia.
White-greyish body with 5 brown diffuse bars on the side, small brown spots on back between bars. Horizontal dark-brown to black line behind eyes.
They share a burrow with Alpheidae shrimp.
In lagoons and seaward sand slopes, from -5 to -35 m. Length: 9 cm.
Distribution: Indonesia and Philippines to SW- Japan, Samoa and Great Barrier Reef. White body with orange spots, black saddle on throat and belly.
White iris with dark markings. On sandy bottoms of lagoons and seaward reef slopes, from -4 to -35 m. Length: 9 cm.
Distribution: Red Sea & E- Africa to Borneo, Solomon Is. and Great Barrier Reef.
White with five orange-brown bands on body, and two orange-brown lines on head. One or two brown specles between bars. Often with yellow anal fin and yellowish tail fin. Share their burrow with an alpheid shrimp.
Sloping sand areas of lagoons, coastal and seaward reefs. From -6 to -30 m. Length: 6,5 cm.
Distribution: Indonesia and Philippines to Solomon Is, Palau, G.B.R. and Vanuatu.
White to creamy body with brown blotches, three dark brown saddles on the belly.
Each dorsal fin has a big ocellus (eyespot), black pelvic- and anal fin with blue spots.
Flashes eyespots at potential predators trying to imitate a big crab, pairs share one
burrow. Feeds by sifting mouthfulls of sand. Among sheltered coastal reefs and
lagoons with silt or sand bottom, from -1 to -30 m.