Species: Gobioides broussonnetii, Violet Goby

Gobioides broussonnetii Lacepede, 1800

Violet Goby

Body very elongate (depth 9-14% of SL), compressed, eel-like; head small (5-8% of SL), square; a pair of pores between front of eyes; eyes small (about 2x size of rear nostril), skin covered, high on side of head; mouth large, strongly oblique, top jaw extends past eye, lower jaw projecting; teeth canine-like, in 1-3 rows on sides of jaws, 1 row in middle, outer row of teeth close-set; gill rakers short, blunt, 8-11; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; one, long-based dorsal fin, with VII flexible spines, 14-19 rays; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I (tiny), 13-19; pectorals 17-20, about same length as pelvics; pelvics fused in rounded disc that is free from belly; tail fin long, pointed, broadly joined to dorsal and anal fins; scales small, smooth, on body and cheeks, front scales often imbedded; no lateral line.

Upper head and body purplish-brown, variously interrupted with cream-white; sides of body with 25-30 front-pointing thin, dark, chevron-like markings, which become pale below the midside; ventral surface pale; anterior margin of lower jaw dusky; dorsal-fin rays dusky, membranes pale; tail fin dusky; pectoral fins with three or four dusky bars; pelvic and anal fins pale.

Reaches: 55.7 cm.

Habitat: Muddy bottoms of tidal creeks and drainage canals, bays and estuaries, into freshwater.

Depth: 0-10 m.

Georgia to Brazil.