Genus: Gobiosoma, Gobies, Naked Goby

GOBIOSOMA

GOBIES

Body robust; head rounded to depressed, broader than deep; snout blunt; 1 pore between eyes; head without barbells or with barbells at nostrils or on chin; front nostril tubular, rear with raised rim; no teeth on roof of mouth; tongue round to blunt; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 9-13 rays; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 9-12 rays; pelvics fused in disc; body scales large, rough; area of body with scales variable, ranges from absent (or with just 2 large very rough scales at base of tail fin) to all of body scaled except the breast, the lower belly and the area on the top of the back forwards from under the middle of the first dorsal fin; head scaleless; no lateral line; body with diffuse bars or series of spots.

A new world tropical to warm temperate genus with 21 species; there are 12 endemics in our region.