Species: Nes longus, Orangespotted Goby

Nes longus (Nichols, 1914)

Orangespotted Goby

Body elongate, not compressed; head compressed, profile rounded, without pores; eyes large, protruding on top of head; snout very short, blunt; mouth opens at front, slightly oblique; teeth in both jaws with 3-4 rows, outer row slightly enlarged, inner row not enlarged, no large canines present, no teeth on front of roof of mouth; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII, 1st spine elongate + I, 10-13; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 10-12; pectoral fin 16-19; pelvic fins I, 5, with a frenum between spines, fins united to form complete, oval disk, reaching 1/2 way to anus; tail fin elongate, 17 segmented rays; no scales; no lateral line.

Grayish white, sand colored, or brown, darker above than below; top of head with brown to orange spots; 3-4 pairs of orange to brown blotches along mid-side; small irregular, brown or orange spots on fins, those on the caudal fin arranged in irregular, narrow, vertical bands; a short dark bar on tail base.

Reaches: 10 cm.

Habitat: Found on fine sand bottoms in channels between reef areas; live in burrows in association with a shrimp.

Depth: 0-38 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.