Species: Ctenogobius shufeldti, American freshwater goby
lower opercle dark blotch
Ctenogobius shufeldti (Jordan & Eigenmann, 1887)
American freshwater goby
Elongate, compressed body; snout round; eyes large, towards front, narrow between them; a broad low keel on nape in front of dorsal fin; mouth slightly oblique, opens at front, lower jaw slightly included inside upper jaw when mouth is closed; teeth in several rows on each jaw, inner row of top row much larger, curved, outer teeth slightly enlarged, and recurved in male; lower jaw with large recurved canines in outer mid-lateral row; front of roof of mouth without teeth; gill rakers short, triangular 0 + 4-5; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VI (none elongate) + I, 11 (rarely 10 or 12); length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 12 (rarely 11 or 13); pectoral fins 17-18; pelvic fins I, 5, fused to form a disc; tail fin long and pointed; body with rough scales, except 7 partly imbedded smooth scales on nape before dorsal fin; 35-40 longitudinal scales; no lateral line.
Pale tan to translucent; a dark stripe from corner of mouth to center of preopercle; preoperculum edge not distinctly darker; lower corner of operculum with a dark blotch; 5 rectangular dark blotches along mid-flank; pelvic fins of male with a dark streak along each innermost ray, fin plain in female; dorsal fins with oblique dotted bars; tail fin with ~6 wavy indistinct bars.
Reaches 10.7 cm.
Lives in low salinity upper estuarine marshes; also in freshwater.
Depth range: 0-5 m.
N Carolina to the NW Gulf of Mexico.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Brackish
- Freshwater
- Non Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Estuary
- Sand & gravel
- Mud
- Soft bottom only
- Freshwater
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Omnivore
- Detritivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Data
- Benthic microalgae
- Detritus
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species.
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Extends North of GC
- GC endemic
- Continent
- All species..
- Continent only
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 10.7
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 5
