Genus: Ctenogobius, Gobies, Goby

CTENOGOBIUS

GOBIES

Elongate, compressed body; snout round; eyes large, towards front, narrow between them; 2 pores behind eye, last one on preopercle; mouth opens slightly underneath or slightly above midline of snout; teeth in several rows on each jaw, inner row of top row much larger, curved, 1-2 large canines near front of lower jaw; 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; 1st dorsal fin with VI spines, 1 more ray on 2nd dorsal fin than anal fin; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; pelvics fused to form disc; tail fin generally long and pointed; body with large rough scales, head scaleless; no lateral line.

A tropical genus found on both sides of the Atlantic and the E Pacific, with 28 species, 10 species (4 W Atlantic, 6 endemics) found in the Greater Caribbean.