Species: Vomerogobius flavus, Lemon Goby

Vomerogobius flavus Gilbert, 1971

Lemon Goby

Elongate; head round; a pair of pores between front of eyes, another pair before those, a pair between rear of eyes, 2 pairs behind those; eyes very large; mouth large, moderately oblique, extending to middle of eye; groove between upper jaw and snout present; males with 3 strongly recurved pointed teeth on center of roof of mouth; tongue heart shaped, sides curved upwards; a semicircle of distinct widely separated bluntly pointed teeth in center of tongue; a pair of large recurved canine teeth on both jaws (top jaws at front, lower jaws ~1/4 way back on sides), less developed in females; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VI, spines III & IV elongate in males, + I, 11-12, 2 fins widely separated; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 12; pectoral fin 15-16; pelvic fins I, 5, no anterior membrane between spines, a membrane unites all of 5th rays, inner rays much longer than outer rays; tail fin deeply concave, with rounded tips; no scales; no lateral line.

Head and body bright orange yellow; a bright yellow stripe along upper body from behind eye to tail base; eyes black; a blue stripe along center of snout; dorsal fins translucent, with a blue tint to the outer edge and a blue line along the base; tail fin with central 2/3 bright yellow, rest translucent orange; anal fin translucent, with a thin blue edge; pelvics translucent with blue tips.

Reaches 3.0 cm.

Habitat: A schooling species found near tops of dropoffs and in recesses in steep walls.

Depth: 14-42 m.

The Bahamas and the NW Caribbean.