Genus: Barbulifer, Bearded Gobies
head: robust, top flattened
D1: VII
barbels - chin (> 3 pairs), snout & under eye
pelvics = disc
no scales
BARBULIFER
BEARDED GOBIES
Body rounded; head robust, flattened above; 3 or more pairs of barbels under chin, barbels on snout & under eye; front of tongue with 2 lobes; front nostril tubular, points forward, rear nostril tubular, points up; pores on head, including preopercle; gill opening small to a shallow S slit along base of pectoral; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 10-13; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; pelvics fused into a disc; tail round; no scales; no lateral line.
A neotropical genus with 4 species; 2 are endemic to our region and a 3rd Atlantic species has entered our region through the Panama Canal.
