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Glass goby (Coryphopterus hyalinus) — Gobiidae

Glass goby

Coryphopterus hyalinus
Family: Gobiidae
VU · Vulnerable

The Glass goby (Coryphopterus hyalinus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
2.5 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
8.0–52.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The glass goby is a tiny goby of the family Gobiidae from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. The species grows to only about 2.5 cm and has a nearly transparent, glassy body with a few orange spots. It forms hovering schools just above large coral columns and heads. As a plankton feeder it picks small zooplankton from the water column. Owing to a restricted range and reef degradation the species is listed as Vulnerable (VU). Owing to its small size it has no fishery value and is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Glass goby?

The Glass goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly white and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Glass goby live?

The Glass goby lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Glass goby get?

The Glass goby grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Glass goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Glass goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Glass goby edible?

The Glass goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Glasgrondel sourced
English name
Glass goby verified
Scientific name
Coryphopterus hyalinus
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Glass Goby; Glass goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
2.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
8.0 verified
Max depth (m)
52.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Coryphopterus

More from the family Gobiidae

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