Shorefishes - Gallery

lower body - lines of black spots

D1 2 thick black stripes
D2 rows black spot

C ~ 4 dark chevrons

Aboma etheostoma, Scaly goby, Spot-lined goby

lower head - black spots

only D & C black

D & A - 14

Akko brevis, Dark-tail specter-goby

all fins black except pelvics

D & A - 15

Akko rossi, Black-fin specter-goby

head flattened, cheeks puffy

brown + thin white bars

Aruma histrio, Slow goby

preopercle with barbel

pectoral base - black & white bars

bottom of head & body flattened
head broad, depressed

Awaous banana, River goby

crecent bar under D1
oblique bar above pectoral base

pelvics in disc
2-3 papillae under gill cover

short barbels: 1 snout, 1 under eye, 14-16 chin & lower jaw

chocolate + black dots & 2 rows alternating pale blotches

Barbulifer ceuthoecus, Atlantic bearded-goby

long barbels: snout 1, under eye 2, lower jaw 8

white + 5 dark bars

Barbulifer mexicanus, Mexican bearded-goby, Saddlebanded goby

pectoral base - black bar

short barbels: under eye 2, lower jaw 6-12

tan + dense brown spots & black dots

Barbulifer pantherinus, Panther bearded-goby

pectoral base: black blotch

3 dark spots after eye - small, 3rd > 1st

D1 dark oblique bar

Bathygobius andrei, Estuarine frillfin

head without white spots

pectoral: free rays - 1 branch

3 dark spots after eye - 3rd large

D1; striped, outer part clear

Bathygobius lineatus, Southern frillfin

head with white spots

pectoral: free rays - 1 branch

3 dark spots after eye - 1st large

D1 : striped, no clear border

C - dark bars

Bathygobius ramosus, Panamic frillfin

head with white spots

pectoral: free rays with > 1 branch

D1: dark spot rear base, spines short

D2 - 2 rows orange spots

C: fin dark, weak dark blotch

Bollmannia chlamydes, Orangespotted goby

top lip: no black line

pelvic & A: blackish

D1: faint dark blotch at base, spines long

flank: 3-6 bars

C base: ~ faint spot

Bollmannia macropoma, Frailscale goby, Large-eye goby

top lip: black line

D1: black blotch rear center

D2 stripe + spots
flank: 5-6 double dark bars

C base - black spot

Bollmannia marginalis, Apostrophe goby, Margin-spot goby

top lip: without black line

D1: dark spot at rear base, spines very long

flank - row orange blotches

C long, pointed, lower 1/2 dark, base without spot

Bollmannia ocellata, Pennant goby, Ocellated goby

top lip: no black line

throat, pelvic y A: black

D1: no dark spot, spines long

D2: I, 15; orange spots & margin

C: dark blotch on base + 2 orange stripes below

Bollmannia species A, Slender goby

top lip: black line

A - 2 orange stripes

D1: no dark spot, spines long

D2: I, 13

C: dark blotch

Bollmannia stigmatura, Tail-spot goby

top lip: no black line

pelvics dark

A - dark + orange base

D1: large dark blotch at base, spines medium

flank: 6-8 bars

C base: indistinct dark spot

Bollmannia umbrosa, Dusky goby, Dark-lipped goby

top lip: black line

operculum: black oval
D: front spines filamentous

Chriolepis atrimelum, Black-cheek goby

D2 & A long

all body scaled

white + 7 narrow brown bars

C base: dark crescent

Chriolepis cuneata, Wedge goby, Rail goby

head pink + white dots

body: white saddles and short bars

C base - dark bar

Chriolepis dialepta, White-starred goby

dark spots: head & body, pectoral base - 2

bars: body ~ 6 , C base 1

Ds - thin stripes

Chriolepis lepidota, Pretty goby

red-brown

male: D spines long, side head with light spots

Chriolepis minutillus, Rubble goby

belly - black dots

pectoral base dark

A black

head rounded
eyes on top, together

female: bars on body
male uniforme

C 7-9 thin dark bars

Chriolepis species A, Wavy barred goby

top jaw not reaching mid pupil

pelvics long: past anus

pectoral 15-17

eyes on top, together

body: broken bars, orange spots

C: black membranes, white rays, base & margin yellow

Chriolepis species B, Orange-headed goby

mouth reaches past eye

elongate, flattened
eyes large, close together

body: 5-6 thin bars

Chriolepis tagus, Mystery goby

lines radiate from eye

3 brown lines radiate from eye

white + black bars: nape 3, body ~ 7, C ~ 5

Chriolepis zebra, Gecko goby

head - ~ 5 orange stripes

body - ~ 6 rows orange or brown spots

C base - dark spot + 2 white spots

Coryphopterus urospilus, Redlight goby

D1: black spot, orange margin

C - 2 orange stripes

Ctenogobius manglicola, Mangrove goby

behind mouth: blotch, continues as line

pelvic - white + black margin

side nape dark blotch

Ctenogobius sagittula, Lancetail goby, Longtail goby

cheek: brown stripe; opercle: dark blotch

flank: 5 dark blotches

head flat, eyes on top
upper head pores with flaps

head & body - white spots
flank - dark dashes

Eleotrica cableae, Marbled goby, Cable goby

cirri - rear of top lip

rear opercle - dark bar

translucent, sparse black dots

D IV + I, 15
D edge black

C: top border & lower 1/3 dark

Evermannia erici, Eric's goby

shoulder: 1 flap

A: clear base, black stripe, white margin
few scales

yellow-brown, back dotted

D IV-V + I, 16-17
D fine stripes

C: cream/clear + fine bars

Evermannia longipinnis, Enigmatic goby, Big-headed goby

shoulder: no flaps

no scales

lower head & belly dark dots

D IV + I, 16
male: D & C yellow & black, A black

female: C & A grey + white edges

Evermannia panamensis, Panama goby

shoulder: 1 long flap

few scales on C base

female: fins checkered

D IV + I, 14-15
male: D, A & C - yellow, black, & white stripes

Evermannia zosterura, Bandedtail goby, Banded goby

shoulder: 1 long flap

C base - few scales

D, A & rear body red

D1 V-VI, base - black spot

C base - 2 black spots

Evorthodus minutus, Small goby, Red-fin goby

scales large, head & body (smooth at front, rough behind)

nape with scales
eyes look up

uniformly pale

Gillichthys detrusus, Delta mud-sucker

space between Ds 1/2 D1 base

pectoral: top ray tip not free, usually 22 or more
D2 I, 11-12; A I, 10-11

nape with scales
eyes look to side

cheek - dark stripe
flank - row dark blotches

Gillichthys mirabilis, Long-jawed mud-sucker

space between Ds < / 1 / 3 D1 base
body: lower 1/3 pale

pectoral: top ray tip not free, usually 21 or less
D2 I, 11-12; A I, 10-11

nape scaleless

back ~ 6 dark saddles
side: row dark & yellow blotches;

Gillichthys seta, Short-jaw mud-sucker

upper jaw ~to end preopercle
body all pigmented

pectoral: top 1-2 rays with free tip
D2 I, 10-12; A I, 8-9

very elongate
eye tiny

Ds joined
D & A fused to C

bars on upper side

Gobioides peruanus, Peruvian eel-goby, Smalleye eel-goby

mouth large, very oblique
teeth long

flank: short bars

Gobionellus daguae, Choco goby

cheek: 2 dark stripes

pectoral base: large black spot

28-35 lateral scales

very elongate
eye small, on top

Ds partly joined
D & A not joined to C

D & C spotted

Gobionellus liolepis, Gulf goby, Smooth-scaled goby

mouth large, oblique
teeth conical

back - oblique saddles
mid-side - row of blotches
belly wavy bars

Gobionellus microdon, Estuary goby, Palmtail goby

cheek & pectoral base - silvery

50-73 lateral scales

both sexes: 7 wide dark bars
D2 I, 13

scales: mainly rough, 32-55 lateral, to pectoral base

Gobiosoma aceras, White-margined goby

barbels: chin 2, nostril 1

grey
flank: row 8-10 dark spots

white spots: head, body & C

Gobiosoma chiquita, Sonora goby

no head barbels

lower head - 5 oblique bars

body: strong bars
midline - row dark spots

D2 10-11

Gobiosoma hildebrandi, Hildebrand's goby

no head barbels

genital papilla notched

body: grey, faint bars

Gobiosoma homochroma, Plain goby

barbels: under front nostril

mid-snout: 1 papilla

female: body & Ds: ~ 8 dark & white bars

male:dark, D - white border

Gobiosoma nudum, Knob-chin goby

chin: 2 barbels

2-3 bars under eye

scales: 0-4 behind pectoral + 2 on C base

body dark + ~ 7 thin pale bars
head & body pale spots

D1 male: 1st spine long
D2 12-13

Ds- stripes/rows black & white spots

Gobiosoma paradoxum, Paradox goby

head without barbels

male: dark, Ds - white edges
dark + irregular oblique white bars

D2 I, 13-14

scales smooth, 33-59, to pectoral base

Gobiosoma seminudum, Silt goby, Tidal goby

barbels: chin 2, nostril 1, snout 2
male all dark, D1 white edge

head round

body pale brown + dark dots or narrow bars

D2 10-11

Gobiosoma species A, Short gill-raker goby

no head barbels

flank scales to base of pectoral

dark bars: top head 2, body 7-10

D: 2 stripes

C base: bar

Gobiosoma species B, Tail-scaled goby

barbels: chin 2, front nostril 1

pectoral base: 2 spots

body: faint bars
midside: dark dashes

D2 10

D: 3 stripes
C: wavy bars

Gobiosoma species C, Few-rayed goby

no head barbels

pectoral base: 2 spots

red-brown + white stripe - snout to C

2 Ds partly joined, dark bases
D2 I,13; A I, 13

Gobulus birdsongi, Fin-joined goby

upper 1/2 tan + spots, lower purple & brown

Ds separate, yellow, white, orange
D2 I, 10-11: A I, 9-10

Gobulus crescentalis, Crescent goby

upper 1/3 white + dark spots , lower 2/3 dark brown
eye small

Ds separate, clear
D2 I, 10-11: A I, 10-11

Gobulus hancocki, Sand-top goby

dark + thin white bars on body & head

fins dark + white rays

Gymneleotris seminuda, Split-banded goby

opercle - black blotch
chin - black

D red + white border
A black stripe

Ilypnus gilberti, Cheekspot goby

shoulder- 1 skin flap

uniformly light

Ilypnus luculentus, Bright goby, Shining goby

shoulder: 2 skin flaps

low crest, on nape only
nape scaled to ~ front of crest

D1: outer 1/2 dark + 2-3 pale spots

uniformly dark, scales - dark edges

Lophogobius cristulatus, Pacific crested-goby

C: 8-9 dark bars

crest high, on nape & between eyes
top nape & crest: no scales

mottled brown
D1 dark + black & yellow spot

male: violet, D1 black & orange

Lophogobius cyprinoides, Atlantic crested-goby

cheeks: cream spots

head: bars above, cream spots below

body: 10 narrow brown bars

C: 6 faint bars

Lythrypnus alphigena, Cocos goby

red + blue bars: body 4-7, head 3

D2 I, 18: A I, 14-15

Lythrypnus cobalus, Knave goby

pectoral grey, 21-22

under tail base: 5 black dots
Cocos Island

red + thin blue bars: head 2, body 3-5

D2 I, 17; A I, 15.5

Lythrypnus dalli, Bluebanded goby

pectoral clear, 18-19

head red + blue spots

body: brown + 8-9 blue-white bars

Lythrypnus gilberti, Galapagos blue-banded goby

red-brown
lower head: red spots

dark edged blue bars: head 4, body ~ 14

Lythrypnus insularis, Distant goby, Island goby

pectoral 17-20

body: 10 narrow pale bars + wide dark interspaces
pale bars - 12 central rows dark dots

D 14; A 9

Cocos Is

Lythrypnus lavenbergi, Lavenberg's goby

cheek: no brown spots

orange + narrow blue bars: 4 head, 11-14 body

C: rays spotted

Lythrypnus pulchellus, Gorgeous goby

pectoral 17-18

cheek: brown spots

orange-brown + blue-white bars: 4-6 head, 9-14 body

C: rays spotted

Lythrypnus rhizophora, Spot-cheek goby

pectoral 17-18

lower head - brown spots

red + blue bars: head 4, body 12

Lythrypnus solanensis, Sola's goby

pectoral 21-22

blue & red bars with dark central line

blue bars: body ~ 18, head 5

Lythrypnus zebra, Zebra goby

nape with crest
D spines short

under D1: male: dark spot + blue bar; female: yellow bar

D2 yellow stripe

Microgobius brevispinis, Balboa goby, Short-spine goby

pelvics black + white margin

body scales smooth

C: central red stripe, red dots above

nape - almost no crest
D spines long both sexes

C: lower margin yellow

Microgobius crocatus, Yellow-spotted goby

lips & pelvic margin yellow

rough scales behind pectoral

above anus - blue blotch
A: yellow base or margin

nape almost no crest
both sexes - long D spines

male: nape & side - yellow spots on blue blotch

male: A yellow

Microgobius curtus, Low-crested goby

female: pectoral base - 2 blue spots

female: under D1: blue bar + 2 pale bars

female: rear body pale

nape crest in female
both sexes: short D spines

black & blue oval blotch under orgin D1

D1 spines short, blue base
D2 margin orange

Microgobius cyclolepis, Round-scale goby

C - top border orange

nape - almost no crest
male: D1 long spines

back - dark bars
dark blotch under D1

Microgobius emblematicus, Emblem goby

male: flank- 2 blue stripes; lower C - yellow + red stripe

female: lower rear body pale, lower C - yellow + 2 red stripes

nape almost no crest
D: spine V - short filament

silvery tan + silver bars

Microgobius erectus, Erect goby, Steep-jaw goby

head - dark streaks + dots

no nape crest
D1: long spines in male

silvery
flank - narrow short dark bars

D2: 3 rows orange spots

Microgobius miraflorensis, Miraflores goby

A margin & lower C margin orange

nape crest in female
both sexes: long D spines

base D1 dark spots
blue spots: flank 3-5, belly 2-3

C: central red & yellow stripe

Microgobius tabogensis, Taboga goby

pale grey + faint pale bars

C - dark + 2 white stripes
lateral scales 67-76
no rough scales under pectoral

Microgobius urraca, Dark-finned sand goby

D1 oval dark blotch

head depressed
wide between eyes

D2 I, 13; A I, 13
flank- 4 dark bars

C base - no dark blotch

Parrella fusca, Dark goby

mouth reaches mid-eye

pectoral 20, base - dark spot

head rounded
eyes together

scales on nape & all belly

C long, blunt, dark blotch at base

Parrella ginsburgi, Darkblotch goby, Ginsburg's goby

mouth reaches end of eye

pectoral 20, base dark

A I, 12-13

head depressed, no scales
wide between eyes

D1 yellow stripe under black rear spot
D2 I, 9-12
flank: 6 diffuse bars

C base - diffuse black spot

Parrella lucretiae, Maculated goby, Lucretia's goby

mouth to mid-eye

pectoral 17, base - black blotch

A I, 11-12
A & lower C: white borders

head rounded
eyes close

nape & belly scaleless

C: pointed, top margin white, base - dark crescent

Parrella maxillaris, Double-striped goby

mouth passes eye

mid-flank: 2 thin stripes + 4 blotches
pectoral 19-20

A I, 10-11

head depressed, white dots

D1 VII
body ~ 6 dark bars

C: oval, black bar at base

Pycnomma semisquamatum, Secret goby

lower opercle - black spot

pelvics separate
belly - 2 cream bars

head narrow; knob on snout

white spot behind eye

back: 6 double white spots

Quietula guaymasiae, Guaymas goby

top jaw ~ reaches gill opening

head large, depressed; groove across nape

side- row dark spots

C base - Y shaped blotch

Quietula y-cauda, American shadow goby

top jaw extends onto opercle

male: A - black stripe

head: red bars

body: external dark bars - thin, wavy

Tigrigobius digueti, Banded cleaner-goby

head orange + 3 white bars

body yellow + 5 wide internal brown bars

Tigrigobius inornatus, Inornate goby

pectoral 19

head: brown bars & spots

body: ~ 6 internal dark bars
back - ~ 3 rows dark spots

Tigrigobius janssi, Spot-back goby

red bars on front, brown bars at rear

head & body - thin, straight pale bars

Tigrigobius limbaughi, Wide-banded cleaner-goby

head: red + 3 white bars

body: 10 external bars over 5 internal bars

Tigrigobius nesiotes, Broken-back cleaner-goby

pectoral 18

head - brilliant red stripe

flank: row ~ 8 dark blotches

Tigrigobius puncticulatus, Red-head goby