PORT PHILLIP BAY


Opalescent Sandgoby 

Nesogobius sp 1

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details



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

General Description

'ody slender, head broader than deep, eyes almost touching; gill openings broad; large sensory pores present on head, scales absent from head; males with elongate rays at rear of dorsal fin. Head sandy-brown with scattered small dark spots; a brown bar from eye to middle of jaw; midsides with pale blue dashes, with vertical thin brown lines above and below interspaces between dashes; dorsal fins with small orange and black spots in oblique rows. To 6 cm.

Biology

Collected from trawls over sandy bottoms.

Habitat

Sandy bottoms, in depths of 7-55 m.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Species Code

sp 1

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, Opalescent Sandgoby, Nesogobius , in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6427

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