Species: Gobionellus microdon, Estuary goby, Palmtail goby
mid-side - row of blotches
belly wavy bars
Gobionellus microdon (Gilbert, 1892)
Palmtail goby, Estuary goby
Elongate, compressed; head a little compressed, snout broadly rounded; mouth opens at front, oblique; teeth on both jaws fine and numerous, 1-3 rows on top jaw (inner row may be strongly curved), 2-3 rows on bottom jaw, no large canines near front of bottom jaw; front nostril tubular; rear nostril a pit; eyes large, high on sides of head, between eyes narrow; preopercle canal with 3 pores; a single pore between eyes; 6-7 + 7-8 triangular gill rakers with flexible bases; dorsal fin VI (front spine elongate (filamentous in male) + I, 12; anal I, 12-13; pelvic I, 5 disk complete; tail fin much longer than head, pointed; scales small (50-73 mid-side), rough; head scaleless.
Light tan with a silvery sheen on opercle and, chest and belly; irregular brown oblique, forward-pointing saddles on back; flank with a row of dark blotches separated by dark spots; belly silvery, with ~6 dark wavy bars; dorsal and caudal fins with rows of spots forming stripes and bars, respectively; pelvics dark grey, with white border in female; anal fin grey, darker in male..
Size: to 13 cm.
Inhabits estuaries and brackish mangrove creeks.
Depth: 0-5 m.
SW and eastern Gulf of California to Ecuador.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Non Marine
- Freshwater
- Brackish
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom only
- Mangrove
- Estuary
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Planktivore
- Herbivore
- No Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Mobile benthic worms
- No Data
- Egg Type
-
- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Benthic
- Global Endemism
-
- All species
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- East Pacific endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Continent only
- TEP endemic
- 3 provinces (Cortez + Mexican + Panamic) endemic
- Continent
- Continental TEP endemic
- All species
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
-
- Not listed
- Length Max
-
- 13
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 5
