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Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae

Randall's prawn-goby

Amblyeleotris randalli
Family: Gobiidae

The Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

Randall's prawn-goby is a goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of the western Pacific. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a white body with narrow orange crossbars and a tall, eyespot-bearing first dorsal fin. It lives in symbiosis with a near-blind digging shrimp: the shrimp maintains a shared burrow while the sharp-eyed goby stands guard. It snaps at small zooplankton and invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Randall's prawn-goby?

The Randall's prawn-goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly white and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Randall's prawn-goby live?

The Randall's prawn-goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others

How big does the Randall's prawn-goby get?

The Randall's prawn-goby grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Randall's prawn-goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Randall's prawn-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 Randall's prawn-goby edible?

Yes, the Randall's prawn-goby is commonly eaten.

More photos

Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Chika Watanabe (CC BY 2.0)
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Ivan Samra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Randall's prawn-goby sourced
Scientific name
Amblyeleotris randalli
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Randall's prawn-goby; Sailfin shrimpgoby; Gold-barred shrimp-goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. 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
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. 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 Amblyeleotris

More from the family Gobiidae

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