Species: Microgobius emblematicus, Emblem goby

male: D1 long spines
dark blotch under D1

Microgobius emblematicus (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)
Emblem goby
Head and body compressed; fleshy nape crest low and poorly developed in both sexes; 2-3 pores on preopercle; mouth large, nearly vertical; tip of tongue divided; dorsal fin VII (spines IV-VI produced in long filaments in male) + I, 15-17 rays; anal I, 15-17 rays; pectoral fin 18-23 rays; tail fin long, oval; pelvics fused to form disc; midlateral scales 50-75; scales all smooth; head, nape, breast, belly, and pectoral fin base scaleless.
Both sexes light brown; belly cream colored; side of head with 2 blue stripes (separated by orange), top one extending forward under eye; flank with diffuse dark midlateral stripe; a diffuse dark blotch under first dorsal fin and 4 diffuse dark bars on upper back; base of pectoral fin with a blue spot; pelvics yellowish to reddish, with blackish margins. Male: dark flank stripe bounded above and below by blue in belly area; a red stripe on tail fin below center, lower part of fin yellow; second dorsal fin dusky reddish, with a blue central stripe and a pale margin; anal fin dusky red, with yellowish margin. Female: body pale below midline above anal fin; second dorsal dark with oblique central pale stripe and a pale margin; anal fin with dark center, pale base and margin; tail fin with 2 red stripes, one in center, the other below, lower part of fin yellow.
Size: to 6.4 cm.
Inhabits sand or mud-broken shell bottoms in estuaries and mangroves.
Depth: 0-6 m.
Southern Baja and the mouth of the Gulf of California to northern Peru.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Non Marine
- Brackish
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom only
- Sand & gravel
- Mud
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Estuary
- Mangrove
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
-
- No Data
- Planktivore
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- No Data
- Pelagic fish eggs
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
-
- Benthic
- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
-
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
- Continent
- All species
- TEP endemic
- Continental TEP endemic
- Continent only
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 6.4
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 6