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Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) — Gobiidae

Maiden goby

Valenciennea puellaris
Family: Gobiidae

The Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–84.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The maiden goby is a goby (Gobiidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 20 cm and has an elongate, white body with rows of orange spots and lines. As a bottom-dweller it lives in pairs on sand and rubble bottoms of shallow reefs and lagoons, digs burrows under stones and sifts mouthfuls of sand, filtering out small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Maiden goby?

The Maiden goby has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly white and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Maiden goby live?

The Maiden goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others

How big does the Maiden goby get?

The Maiden goby grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Maiden goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Maiden goby 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 Maiden goby edible?

Yes, the Maiden goby is commonly eaten.

More photos

Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) — Gobiidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Izuzuki (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) — Gobiidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Erik Schlögl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) — Gobiidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Sue Churchill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Maiden goby (Valenciennea puellaris) — Gobiidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — No machine-readable author provided. Normann Z assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public domain)
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All data

Identification

English name
Maiden goby sourced
Scientific name
Valenciennea puellaris
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Orange-dashed goby; Orangespotted glider goby; Orangespotted glidergoby; Orange-spotted sleeper-goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
84.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: American Samoa, Australia, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Comoros and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
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
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. 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 Valenciennea

More from the family Gobiidae

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