Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Microgobius: Greek, mikros = small + Latin, gobius = gudgeon (Ref. 45335); urraca: Named after the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s research vessel the Urraca, which served the institute between 1994-2007; noun in apposition..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 12 - 20 m (Ref. 91780). Tropical
Eastern Pacific, Panama.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 91780); 6.2 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 14; Vertebrae: 27. This species is distinguished from Microgobius urraca in having the following characters: lateral scale rows 67-76; patch of ctenoid scales under the pectoral fin absent; unpigmented epaxial myosepta; first dorsal fin with a distinct oval-shaped dark blotch; three blue-white stripes on a dark caudal fin. It differs from the remaining eastern Pacific congeners in the number and type of scales (pectoral- and pelvic fin base without scales; pre-anal region with small embedded cycloid scales; small scales on anterior and ventral portions of trunk, partially imbedded, and in irregular rows, becoming larger and arranged in distinct rows dorsally and posteriorly; no small patch of ctenoid scales beneath pectoral fin); D1 VII, D2 I,14; A I,14; fleshy dorsal crest poorly developed and overall color pattern (Ref. 91780).
Found over sand or sand and leaf litter bottoms; where collections are found in the latter, this species was collected with several specimens of Ptereleotris carinata and M. erectus. Presumed to be a burrowing species (Ref. 91780).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Tornabene, L., J.L. Van Tassel and D.R. Robertson, 2012. Microgobius urraca (Teleostei: Gobiidae), a new species of goby from the tropical eastern Pacific. Zootaxa 3447:41-55. (Ref. 91780)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00708 (0.00333 - 0.01504), b=3.09 (2.92 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
