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Guavina (Guavina guavina) — Eleotridae

Guavina

Guavina guavina
Family: Eleotridae
LC · Least Concern

The Guavina (Guavina guavina) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Eleotridae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Western Atlantic
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The guavina is a fairly large sleeper goby from the western Atlantic, from the Caribbean to Brazil, in fresh and brackish water. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a stocky, dark-brown body with a broad head. As a bottom-dweller it stays in rivers, mangroves, lagoons and estuaries and ambushes small fish, shrimp and crabs. The fish is a local food fish and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Guavina?

The Guavina has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern. Broad head; ambush predator in mangroves and estuaries

Where does the Guavina live?

The Guavina lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Western Atlantic

How big does the Guavina get?

The Guavina grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Guavina dangerous to humans?

No, the Guavina 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 Guavina edible?

Yes, the Guavina is commonly eaten.

More photos

Guavina (Guavina guavina) — Eleotridae — 2
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Guavina (Guavina guavina) — Eleotridae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Nathalia Kaluana Rodrigues da Costa, Roney Emanuel Costa de Paiva, Márcio Joaquim da Silva, Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos, Sergio Maia Queiroz Lima (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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All data

Identification

English name
Guavina verified
Scientific name
Guavina guavina
Family
Eleotridae
Other names
Guavina verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Western Atlantic verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, shrimps and crabs inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Estuarine sleeper goby; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Broad head; ambush predator in mangroves and estuaries sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
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

More from the family Eleotridae

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