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Pretty lagoon-goby (Oplopomus oplopomus) — Gobiidae

Pretty lagoon-goby

Oplopomus oplopomus
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Pretty lagoon-goby (Oplopomus oplopomus) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The spinecheek goby is a small goby from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a light-coloured body with fine spots and bars; the male has a large, ocellated black spot in the first dorsal fin. A spine on the gill cover gives it its English name. As a bottom-dweller it lives on sandy and gravelly bottoms of lagoons and coastal reefs and feeds on small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pretty lagoon-goby?

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

Where does the Pretty lagoon-goby live?

The Pretty lagoon-goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Pretty lagoon-goby get?

The Pretty lagoon-goby grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Pretty lagoon-goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Pretty lagoon-goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Pretty lagoon-goby edible?

The Pretty lagoon-goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sierlijke lagunegrondel verified
English name
Pretty lagoon-goby verified
Scientific name
Oplopomus oplopomus
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Spinecheek goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White inferred
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

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

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

More from the family Gobiidae

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