PORT PHILLIP BAY


Yellowfin Goby 

Acanthogobius flavimanus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VIII-IX; I, 12-14
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 11
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 17
Pectoral fin rays: 21
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:
Acanthogobius
Species:
flavimanus

General Description

A relatively large goby; head moderately long, triangular in cross-section; eyes close together near top of head; mouth terminal, oblique, reaching almost to below middle of eye. Body overall brown, with darker mottling on back and cheek, and a thin dark diagonal line from eye to rear margin of jaws; midsides with 6-8 irregular darker blotches, and a dark round spot at the base of the tail; upper part of pectoral-fin base with a short horizontal dark bar; dorsal and caudal fins with fine speckled lines; pectoral fins yellow. To 25 cm.

Biology

This species is native to waters in Japan, Korea and China. It was accidentally introduced to Australia and California when juveniles or larvae were transported in ballast water in ships and the water was released in ports of call. Ships heading to Australia must now release their ballast water far offshore. In 1990, the Yellowfin Goby was discovered in Port Phillip Bay and was subsequently found in large numbers in the western part of the Bay and in the lower reaches of the Yarra River. The species is now rare in Australia.

Habitat

Builds burrows on muddy bottoms in shallow estuaries, harbours and in the lower reaches of rivers and streams.

Soft substrates

Distribution guide

Japan, Korea and China. In Australia, recorded from New South Wales and Port Phillip (Victoria).

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

25 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, Yellowfin Goby, Acanthogobius flavimanus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 23 Dec 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6343

Text: creative commons cc by licence