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Elegant goby (Stiphodon elegans) — Gobiidae

Elegant goby

Stiphodon elegans
Family: Gobiidae

The Elegant goby (Stiphodon elegans) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
5.2 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Herbivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless

Description

The elegant goby is a small goby (Gobiidae) from clear, fast-flowing island streams of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 5 cm; males are handsomely blue-green, females plain brown with stripes. With a ventral sucking disc formed from the fused pelvic fins it climbs over stones and waterfalls. It rasps aufwuchs and diatoms from the stones. Its larvae wash to sea and return as juveniles. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Elegant goby?

The Elegant goby has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly blue.

Where does the Elegant goby live?

The Elegant goby lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Elegant goby get?

The Elegant goby grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Elegant goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Elegant goby is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sierlijke klimgrondel sourced
English name
Elegant goby sourced
Scientific name
Stiphodon elegans
Family
Gobiidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.2 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Blue sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Gobiidae

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