Species: Palatogobius paradoxus, Mauve goby

snout 5.8-7.8% SL
D,A & C: yellow rays, blue edges

D2 18-20; A 19-21; pectoral 18-22
Palatogobius paradoxus Gilbert, 1971
Mauve goby
Body elongate; eyes large (7.4-8.7% SL), on top of head, narrow (3.2-4.6% SL) between them; snout short, 5.8-7.8% SL; 1 pore between each of front and rear edges of eyes, 1 pore before each eye, 2 pores behind each eye; a groove present between upper lip and snout; mouth large, oblique ending under front ½ of eye; usually a V shaped patch of well developed, pointed teeth on front of roof of mouth; large canines at front of top and bottom jaws, top pair close-set, lower pair curved out and situated 1/3 way back along jawbone, 2 rows of well developed, pointed teeth on sides of both jaws; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII, (none elongate or only slightly) + I, 18-20, 2 fins joined at base by membrane; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin long based, I, 19-21; pectoral fins 19 (18-22); pelvic fins I, 5, fins completely joined but no front membrane joining spines; tail fin deeply forked, with sharp lobes, 17 segmented rays; body with scales from tail base to under rear 1/3 of 2nd dorsal fin; no lateral line.
Body translucent pinkish yellow, with a faint violet cast on cheeks and body; a pale blue stripe from top of eye to center of base of tail fin; eye yellow, with upper and lower edges bright blue; dorsal and anal fins with yellow rays and thin blue outer edges; tail fin with yellow rays and each lobe edged in blue; pectorals translucent; pelvics creamy white.
Reaches: 3.5 cm.
Habitat: coral rubble and sand.
Depth: 20–133 m; typically below 60 m.
The Gulf of Mexico to the S Caribbean.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine Only
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Near Bottom
- Bottom + water column
- Habitat
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- Sand & gravel
- Water column
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Soft bottom only
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Carnivore
- Planktivore
- Diet
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- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
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- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Data
- Global Endemism
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- All species.
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- All species..
- Island (s)
- Continent + Island (s)
- GC endemic
- Continent
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Depth Range Min
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- 20
- Depth Range Max
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- 133
- Length Max
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- 3.5