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Sarato's goby (Gobius fallax) — Gobiidae

Sarato's goby

Gobius fallax
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Sarato's goby (Gobius fallax) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–32.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Sarato's goby is a small goby of the family Gobiidae reaching about 9 cm. The brown-mottled body blends well against rocks and stones; like other gobies the pelvic fins are fused into a sucking disc, with which the fish clings to the bottom in the surf. The species closely resembles several related coastal gobies and was long confused with them. It lives on rocky and stony bottoms of shallow coastal water of the Mediterranean and the adjacent eastern Atlantic. On the bottom it searches for small crustaceans, worms and molluscs. The male defends a territory and guards the eggs laid in a crevice or under a stone until they hatch. Because of its small size it has no fishery importance.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Sarato's goby?

The Sarato's goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Sarato's goby live?

The Sarato's goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Sarato's goby get?

The Sarato's goby grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Sarato's goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Sarato's goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Sarato's goby edible?

The Sarato's goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sarato's grondel inferred
English name
Sarato's goby verified
Scientific name
Gobius fallax
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Sarato's goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater verified
Substrate
Stone or rock verified
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
32.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Solitary verified
Territorial
Yes verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified

For anglers

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

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Gobius

More from the family Gobiidae

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