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Railway sleeper goby (Valenciennea helsdingenii) — Gobiidae

Railway sleeper goby

Valenciennea helsdingenii
Family: Gobiidae

The Railway sleeper goby (Valenciennea helsdingenii) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 25 cm.

Length
25 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–45.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Railway sleeper goby is a sleeper goby (Gobiidae) from shallow sand and reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 14 cm and has an elongate, pale white with two orange-brown longitudinal stripes 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 Railway sleeper goby?

The Railway sleeper goby has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly white.

Where does the Railway sleeper goby live?

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

How big does the Railway sleeper goby get?

The Railway sleeper goby grows to a maximum of about 25 cm. On average the species is around 18 cm.

Is the Railway sleeper goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Railway sleeper goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Railway sleeper goby edible?

Yes, the Railway sleeper goby is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Spoorlijn-slaapgrondel sourced
English name
Railway sleeper goby sourced
Scientific name
Valenciennea helsdingenii
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Black-lined sleeper-goby; Blacklined glider goby; Railway glider; Twostripe goby verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless 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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