PORT PHILLIP BAY


Tamar Goby 

Afurcagobius tamarensis (Johnston, 1883)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VI; I, 8
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 8
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 17
Pectoral fin rays: 17-19
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:
Afurcagobius
Species:
tamarensis

General Description

Head broad, cheeks bulbous, eyes close together near top of head; mouth large, reaching well beyond eye in large males. Brownish to greyish, with irregular brown markings and spots, and 3-5 dark saddles on back. To 11 cm.

Habitat

In estuaries, lakes and the lower parts of rivers, on muddy bottoms and in seagrass beds in depths of 0-20 m.

Soft substrates

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

11 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, Tamar Goby, Afurcagobius tamarensis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 21 Sep 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6348

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