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Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) — Gobiidae

Randall's sleeper goby

Valenciennea randalli
Family: Gobiidae

The Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) is a brackish-water fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 16 cm.

Length
16 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
8.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Ryukyu Is., Malaysia, New Caledonia and others

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Description

The Randall's sleeper goby is a sleeper goby (Gobiidae) from shallow sand and reef water of the western Pacific. The species grows to about 9 cm and has an elongate, pale white with blue lines and yellow tints on the head body with large eyes. Characteristically it takes mouthfuls of sand and sifts out small invertebrates; it often lives in pairs by a shared burrow. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Randall's sleeper goby?

The Randall's sleeper goby has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly white.

Where does the Randall's sleeper goby live?

The Randall's sleeper goby lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Ryukyu Is., Malaysia, New Caledonia and others

How big does the Randall's sleeper goby get?

The Randall's sleeper goby grows to a maximum of about 16 cm.

Is the Randall's sleeper goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Randall's sleeper 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.

More photos

Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) — Gobiidae — 2
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) — Gobiidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) — Gobiidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's sleeper goby (Valenciennea randalli) — Gobiidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Randall's sleeper goby sourced
Scientific name
Valenciennea randalli
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Greenband glider goby; Greenband glidergoby; Greenband goby; Green-band sleeper-goby; Goby verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
8.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Indonesia, Ryukyu Is., Malaysia, New Caledonia 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

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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