PORT PHILLIP BAY


Flatback Mangrovegoby 

Mugilogobius platynotus (Günther, 1861)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VI; I, 9-10
Anal fin spines/rays: I, 9-10
Caudal fin rays: (segmented) 16
Pectoral fin rays: 16
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
Subfamily:
Gobionellinae
Genus:
Mugilogobius
Species:
platynotus

General Description

Body slender, head depressed; snout rounded in side view; eyes far apart; gill openings restricted to pectoral fin base; head pores absent. Grey to brown, males almost black; first dorsal fin with one or two black longitudinal stripes, lower stripe intensifying into black spot at end of fin. To 6 cm.

Habitat

Usually in holes amongst mangroves or seagrass beds, sometimes entering freshwater, in depths of 0-10 m.

Soft substrates

Seagrass meadows

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Gobies

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

6 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Vulnerable
  • 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, Flatback Mangrovegoby, Mugilogobius platynotus, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 09 Oct 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6416

Text: creative commons cc by licence