PORT PHILLIP BAY


Green's Goby 

Nesogobius greeni Hoese & Larson, 2006

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VII; 8-11
Anal fin spines/rays: 8-10
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 13 (11-12 branched)
Pectoral fin rays: 16-20
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: -
Gill rakers: 0-1 + 4-9 = 4-9

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Genus level detail.
A genus of small well-camouflaged sand-dwelling gobies with many species in Port Phillip Bay, some of which are difficult to identify. They are distinguished on the basis of the number and kind of fin elements, the position and number of scales, head pore patterns, and other features such as colour pattern. And, males and females of the same species are sometimes very different in colour and fin shape.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Very large family representing almost 10% percent of all fish species. More than 230 genera and 1500 species are recognised worldwide, and there are more than 90 genera and 330 described species known from Australian waters.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Gobiidae
Genus:
Nesogobius
Species:
greeni

General Description

Body relatively robust, head broader than deep; eyes almost touching,; head pres absent; mouth small; first dorsal fin tall in males; spines absent from second dorsal and anal fins; tail with only 13 segmented rays. Males and females very different in colour. Males mottled brown, greenish or grey, head dark below, 6-8 small dark spots along midsides, a series of pale dashes just below midsides, end of tail base with a dark chevron-shaped bar; females with 1-3 dark vertical bars with white interspaces below first dorsal fin and black pelvic fins; dorsal fins with diagonal stripes. To 4.5 cm.

Habitat

Usually on sand near seagrass beds and around rocky reefs, in depths of 0-8 m.

Soft substrates

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

5 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Green's Goby, Nesogobius greeni, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6420

Text: creative commons cc by licence