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Family Gobiidae - Gobies

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

No. of Genera:

212

No. of Species:

1875

Environment:

Fresh: Yes Brackish: Yes Marine: Yes

Aquarium:

many

First Fossil Record:

Ref.:

Remark:

Chiefly marine and brackish, some species are catadromous. Often the most abundant fish in freshwater on oceanic islands. Distribution: mostly tropical and subtropical areas. Pelvic fins fused into an adhesive disc, when well developed. Spinous dorsal present or absent; when present with 2-8 flexible spines and discontinuous with soft dorsal. Cycloid or ctenoid scales almost always present. Prominent head barbels present in some species. To 50 cm maximum length; most species below 10 cm. The largest family of marine fishes (possibly > 2,000). The smallest fishes (and vertebrates) in the world belong to this family. Mostly marine in shallow coastal waters and around coral reefs. Most are cryptic bottom dwelling carnivores of small benthic invertebrates; others are planktivores. Some species have symbiotic relationships with invertebrates (e.g. shrimps) and others are known to remove ecto-parasites from other fishes. Typically nest spawners with non-spherical eggs guarded by the male. Many are popular aquarium fishes. The following subfamilies are recognized: Oxudercinae, Amblyopinae, Sicydiinae, Gobionellinae and Gobiinae. Reported to have 230 genera and around 1,500 species by Hoese and Larson, 2006 (Ref. 75154).

Etymology:

Latin, gobius = goby ( Ref. 45335).

Division:

Marine

Reproductive guild:

guarders

Typical activity level:

normal

Main Ref.:

Nelson, J.S..1994

Coordinator:

Show species | Nominal species list for Gobiidae | Identification keys | CAS specimen photos | References

Update \| Add new Family	Ref.:				Glossary
		( e.g. 9948)				( e.g. cephalopods)