Species: Bathygobius soporator, Frillfin Goby

Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837)

Frillfin Goby

Body robust; head broad, depressed, with pores; snout bluntly rounded; eyes large, close together; mouth moderate sized, relatively horizontal; upper jaw length 11.9-13.7% SL; tongue with deep notch in front; jaw teeth in bands, without canines; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fins VI (none elongate) + I, 9 rays; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal I, 8 rays; pelvic fins fused into a disc; pectoral 20 (18-21), upper 3-5 rays free, silky threads; tail round; scales large, rough, 38-44 on mid-side, present on midline of nape to well before a line through rear edge of preopercle, often to level of rear edge of dark blotches behind eye; no scales on cheek or operculum; no lateral line.

Grayish brown; upper half of body with 3 prominent dark saddles, sometimes dividing at lower edge, lower tips often connecting to 6-7 large, dark irregular blotches along mid-flank that may extend down to bottom profile; 1st dorsal fin with a broad diagonal or vertical dark bar; 2nd dorsal fin with thin dark stripes and yellowish outer edge; tail fin with a large dark irregular blotch on its base and thin dark bars on its outer part.

Reaches 15 cm.

Depth: 0-16 m.

Habitat: Found in sheltered habitats on mixed sand bottom and turtle-grass beds with rocks, mangroves, the mouths of streams, Millepora reefs.

E & W Atlantic; Bermuda to Brazil.