| Family: |
Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobionellinae |
| Max. size: |
9 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 3 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 12 m, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Atlantic: Norway to Morocco, including Baltic Sea (to southern Portugal) (Ref. 4696) and western Mediterranean. Also in Mauritania and the Canary Islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 6-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-11; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 7-10; Vertebrae: 30-32. This species is distinguished from other gobies in European freshwaters by the following characters: males with conspicuous dark proximal posterior spot on first dorsal; with cephalic lateral line canals; anterior oculoscapular canal extending to snout; branched rays in second dorsal 8-10.5; anal origin below simple of first branched ray of D2; total scales in midlateral series 39-52; completely scaled postdorsal body; caudal rounded (Ref. 59043). No scales in front of the first dorsal fin (Ref. 35388); body shape is terete, slightly depressed; eyes situated dorso-laterally; reduced swim bladders (Ref. 92840). |
| Biology: |
Enters estuaries, salt marshes and pools (Ref. 4343); usually on sand or mud (Ref. 59043). Lives in sea as well as brackish waters and migrates into limnetic sections of rivers (Ref. 92840). Also rock pools where it feeds mainly on epibenthic meiofauna like harpacticoids and small amphipods (Ref. 92840); small crustaceans, worms, chironomid larvae and mites (Ref. 4696). Its burrowing habit allows it to survive low water levels and to avoid predators (Ref. 30508). Spawns after first winter, at sea, in February - September, depending on latitude; individual females spawn several times during a season. Adhesive eggs (0.9 x 0.7 mm) are deposited under or between stones, shells and aquatic plants and males guard the eggs until hatching. Juveniles enter freshwater habitats in late summer to forage (Ref. 59043). The male defends and aerates the eggs for about 9 days. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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