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Koumans's goby (Lesueurigobius koumansi) — Gobiidae

Koumans's goby

Lesueurigobius koumansi
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Koumans's goby (Lesueurigobius koumansi) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
11 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
50.0–135.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Koumans's goby is a small goby of the family Gobiidae (gobies) reaching about 11 cm. The slender body is handsomely yellow-brown with bluish streaks and spots; like all true gobies it has the pelvic fins fused into a sucker. The species digs a burrow in mud and silt bottoms of the continental shelf along the West African coast and often lives there in loose colonies. From the burrow it searches the bottom for small crustaceans, worms and zooplankton. The male guards the eggs laid on the burrow wall. Because of its small size it has no fishery value, but it is a link in the bottom food web.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Koumans's goby?

The Koumans's goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Koumans's goby live?

The Koumans's goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Koumans's goby get?

The Koumans's goby grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Koumans's goby dangerous to humans?

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

Is the Koumans's goby edible?

The Koumans's goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Koumans grondel inferred
English name
Koumans's goby verified
Scientific name
Lesueurigobius koumansi
Family
Gobiidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
11.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes 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
Sand / mud bottom verified
Min depth (m)
50.0 verified
Max depth (m)
135.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Small groups 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 Lesueurigobius

More from the family Gobiidae

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