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Venus eelgoby (Akko dionaea) — Gobiidae

Venus eelgoby

Akko dionaea
Family: Gobiidae

The Venus eelgoby (Akko dionaea) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
8.1 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–20.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
South America: Brazil

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Description

The venus eelgoby is an eel-shaped goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, off Central and South America. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a strongly elongate, soft, pale body with small eyes, adapted to a burrowing existence. As a bottom-dweller it lives in self-dug tunnels in soft sand and mud bottoms of estuaries and searches for minute bottom life. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Venus eelgoby?

The Venus eelgoby has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly white.

Where does the Venus eelgoby live?

The Venus eelgoby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. South America: Brazil

How big does the Venus eelgoby get?

The Venus eelgoby grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Venus eelgoby dangerous to humans?

No, the Venus eelgoby 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

Venus eelgoby (Akko dionaea) — Gobiidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) RNN Grand-Connétable, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Venus eelgoby sourced
Scientific name
Akko dionaea
Family
Gobiidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.1 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Natural range
South America: Brazil 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
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 Akko

More from the family Gobiidae

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