Thorogobius alvheimi Sauberer, Iwamoto & Ahnelt, 2018
Alvheim’s goby
Thorogobius alvheimi
photo by Sauberer, M.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  10.24 cm SL (male/unsexed); 7.21 cm SL (female)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 74 - 208 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: Angola and Ghana.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 10-10; Vertebrae: 28-28. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: D1 VI (second and third distinctly elongated), D2 I,11; pectoral fin rays 20-21; complete pelvic disc with short with well-developed anterior membrane (frenum), lateral lobes pointed; nape and predorsal area naked; no scales on the opercle; scales in longitudinal series 27-31; supratemporal rows tr and trp developed and extending transversally between pores H and K; longitudinal row g is short, not passing row m posteriorly and distinctly distant from row h; long infraorbital row 6, ventrally extending to lower margin of preopercle, its ventral section 6i originating anterior to its dorsal section 6s; posterior lateral row h reaching anteriorly above posterior third of opercle; body depth 16.6-20.4% at anal-fin origin in SL; head width 42.9-53.8% in head length; upper jaw long 42.6-45.7% in head length; minimum height of caudal peduncle 34.8-50.2% in caudal peduncle length; large eyes 22.4-31.3% in head length; short caudal fin 27.1-32.3% in SL; body is uniformly pale fawn and brown with margin of scale pockets dark brown pigmented, yielding a reticulated pattern; presence of pale spots on nape and predorsal area; caudal fin is uniformly dusky greyish (Ref. 118185).
Biology:  Specimens were dredged on the outer edge of the continental shelf and found on soft bottom (Ref. 118185).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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