PORT PHILLIP BAY


Bridled Goby 

Arenigobius bifrenatus (Kner, 1865)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VI; I, 10
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 10
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 17
Pectoral fin rays: 16-18
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:
Arenigobius
Species:
bifrenatus

General Description

Head slightly compressed; snout short, blunt; mouth oblique, terminal, reaching to below middle of eye; eyes large, close together on top of head; gill opening restricted to pectoral-fin base; pectoral fins with terminal filaments; males with a long pointed tail. Overall greyish to pale olive-brown with iridescent pale blue spots along sides; two oblique dark bands originating on head below eye, upper breaking up into diffuse purplish-brown spots running from pectoral-fin base to lower sides above anal fin. To 18 cm.

Biology

This is one of the larger and more colourful gobies in southern waters.

Habitat

Builds burrows in muddy and silty areas in shallow estuaries and mudflats near seagrass beds in bays, harbours and coastal lagoons.

Soft substrates

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

New Zealand and southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

18 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, Bridled Goby, Arenigobius bifrenatus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 26 Dec 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6353

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