PORT PHILLIP BAY


Trident Goby 

Tridentiger trigonocephalus

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VI; I, 12-13
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 10-11
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 17
Pectoral fin rays: 18-22
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: -

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.

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:
Tridentiger
Species:
trigonocephalus

General Description

Head depressed, much broader than deep; eyes not close together; mouth large, terminal, reaching to beyond middle of eye in adults; teeth with 3 cusps. Greyish to brown, usually with a black stripe extending from behind top of eye following dorsal profile to tail; a second black stripe present on snout, through eye and upper portion of pectoral-fin base and along midsides to base of tail; stripes often absent in fish longer than 9 cm.To 12 cm.

Biology

Native to temperate waters of Korea, China and Japan where it inhabits sandy areas in seagrass beds. It was accidentally introduced to Australia when juveniles or larvae were transported in ballast water in ships and the water released in ports of call. Ships heading to Australia must now release their ballast water far offshore.

Habitat

Found in disturbed areas of ports and harbours on algal-covered hard surfaces including wharf pylons.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Korea, China and Japan. In Australia recorded from Sydney (New South Wales), Port Phillip (Victoria) and the Swan River (Western Australia).

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

12 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Introduced 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, Trident Goby, Tridentiger trigonocephalus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 06 May 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6476

Text: creative commons cc by licence