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Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) — Microdesmidae

Blue gudgeon dartfish

Ptereleotris microlepis
Family: Microdesmidae

The Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) is a saltwater fish of the family Microdesmidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–50.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Myanmar, Cambodia and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Blue gudgeon dartfish is a dartfish (Microdesmidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 13 cm and has an elongate, blue body. The body is pale blue with light-blue accents on the head. It hovers just above sand and rubble bottoms near reefs and darts into a burrow at lightning speed when threatened; it eats zooplankton from the current. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue gudgeon dartfish?

The Blue gudgeon dartfish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly blue.

Where does the Blue gudgeon dartfish live?

The Blue gudgeon dartfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Myanmar, Cambodia and others

How big does the Blue gudgeon dartfish get?

The Blue gudgeon dartfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Blue gudgeon dartfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue gudgeon dartfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Blue gudgeon dartfish edible?

Yes, the Blue gudgeon dartfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) — Microdesmidae — 2
Damien Brouste (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) — Microdesmidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) uwkwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) — Microdesmidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Izuzuki (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Blue gudgeon dartfish (Ptereleotris microlepis) — Microdesmidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) momaz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Blue gudgeon dartfish sourced
Scientific name
Ptereleotris microlepis
Family
Microdesmidae
Other names
Blue gudgeon; Green goby; Long-finned gudgeon; Pale dartfish; Pearly dartfish; Smallscale hovergoby; Greeneye dartgoby; Green-eye dart-goby; Green-eyed dart-goby; Green-eyed goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Bahrain, Solomon Is., Myanmar, Cambodia and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Ptereleotris

More from the family Microdesmidae

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