240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
20a Cheek with large scales; teeth at sides of upper jaw
directed medially; anterior interorbital pore paired;
mouth horizontal, inferior; (coral reefs) ................. Gnatholepis
20b Cheek naked; teeth at sides of jaws vertical or
directed posteriorly ......................................................... 21
21a V thick, with fleshy lobes at tips of V spines .......................... 22
21b V thin, without fleshy lobes at tips of spines .......................... 24
22a Upper P rays free, silk-like; chin with transverse
or curved mental frenum ..................................... Bathygobius
22b Upper P rays not free; chin without a mental
frenum; (coral reefs) ....................................................... 23
23a Head rounded, the ventral surface with numerous
small bumps .................................................. Paragobiodon
23b Head broad, without bumps .................................. Pleurosicya
24a Head pores absent; size not greater than 50 mm .................... 25
24b Head pores present ......................................................... 28
25a Interorbital broader than pupil; gill opening equals
P base; V frenum present; (estuaries) .................................. 26
25b Interorbital narrower than pupil; gill opening to
below eye or preopercle; V frenum absent; (coral reefs) .......... 27
26a D VI+6-7; no spine in 2nd D or A; segmented Crays 17;
head rounded; (size not greater than 20 mm) ............... Pandaka
26b D VI+I,7-8; A and 2nd D with flexible spine;
segmented Crays 16; head depressed ................... Mugilogobius
27a Gill opening ends below rear margin of preopercle;
head broader than deep, with distinct dark vertical
bars .................................................................... Priolepis
27b Gill opening extends to below eye or rarely to
below rear of preopercle; head compressed, deeper
than broad, uniform, spotted or with irregular
faint bands ............................................................ Trimma
28a V completely separate; (coral reefs and harbours) .................. 29
28b V partly or completely connected ....................................... 31
29a V fringe-like; D VI + 1,7-11; LS 21-26; (size less
than 30 mm) ............................................................ Eviota
29b V normal; D VI+I,11-20; LS58-146; .................................. 30
30a Snout equal to or less than eye; upper jaw teeth in
3 or more rows; gill opening extends to below
preopercle ..................................................... Amblyeleotris
30b Snout much greater than eye; upper jaw teeth
in 1 row; gill opening equals P base ....................... Valenciennea
31a Lower jaw curved upward at tip; C longer than
head in adult; head pores Type B ....................................... 32
31b Lower jaw normal; C longer or shorter than head;
head pores Type A .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 34
32a Head compressed; D VI + 1,6-8; (size less
than 50 mm) ...................................................... Redigobius
32b Head rounded; D VI+ I, 10-13 ........................................... 33
33a Upper jaw teeth in 1 row; D VI + 1,12-13;
LS 42-75 ......................................................... Oxyurichthys
33b Upper jaw teeth in 2 or 3 rows; D VI+ 1,10-11;
LS 25-27 ............................................................. Oligolepis
34a Gill opening extending to below rear margin of
preopercle (or fartherforward) .......................................... 35
34b Gill opening restricted to P base or slightly below .................. 41
35a Scalessmall;LS47-110;DVI+I,9-14 ................................. 36
35b Scales large; LS 25-39; D VI + 1,10-19 .................................. 38
776
36a D VI + 1,9-12; scales cycloid or ctenoid ................. Cryptocentrus
36b D VI + 1,13-14; posterior scales ctenoid, anterior cycloid .......... 37
37a C pointed, longer than head; snout profile at an
angle less than 40° with body axis; papillae pattern
longitudinal .................................................... Vanderhorstia
37b C rounded, shorter than head; snout steep, forming
an angle of more than 50° with body axis; papillae
pattern transverse ............................................ Amblyeleotris
38a Tongue tip bilobed or branchiostegal membranes
forming free fold across isthmus; pre dorsal scaled
at least to above opercle; (freshwater and estuarine) .............. 39
38b Tongue tip truncate; branchiostegal membranes
attached to sides of isthmus; predorsal naked ........................ 40
39a Snout much greater than eye; tongue bilobed;
(freshwater and estuarine, Algoa Bay northwards) .. Glossogobius
39b Snout subequal to or less than eye; tongue weakly
notched; (estuarine, Natal to Port Nolloth) ......... Psammogobius
40a Head depressed; A 1,12-13 .................................... Silhouettea
40b Head compressed; A 1,9 ........................................ Mahidolia
41a D VI + 1,13-15; upper gill arch with finger-like
projections; 10-15 short vertical papillae rows under
eye; operculum with several scales dorsally ............ Amblygobius
41b D VI +1,7-15; upper gill arch without finger-like
projections; 4-6 long vertical papillae rows or
longitudinal rows only under eye; operculum
naked or with 1 scale ....................................................... 42
42a Mouth small, almost horizontal; snout broadly
rounded, ending above front of upper lip;
PD 6-9, reaching eyes; (body with several
longitudinal light lines; midside with series of
round spots; tropical sandy estuaries and
coral reefs) ........................................................ /stigobius
42b Mouth small to large, oblique; snout gently or
steeply sloping, not broadly curved in lateral view,
ending behind upper lip; PD 0-20, usually small
(except in Fusigobius, which has pointed snout),
often not reaching eyes .................................................... 43
43a D VI + 1,7-9; several longitudinal rows of head
papillae; (sandy tropical estuaries and coral
reefs) ............................................................ Favonigobius
43b D VI + 1,9-15; head papillae pattern transverse
or longitudinal ............................................................... 44
44a Snout pointed in dorsal view; head triangular
in cross-section; V frenum low; PD 5-7, reaching
to or near eye; D VI+ 1,10; (body translucent to
white, with scattered blue and small black spots;
sand or coral reefs) .............................................. Fusigobius
44b Snout rounded in dorsal view; head rounded,
depressed or compressed; V frenum well
developed; predorsal scales small, if reaching eyes,
PD greater than 15 .......................................................... 45
45a Head papillae pattern longitudinal ..................................... 46
45b Head papillae pattern transverse ........................................ 47
46a Upper P rays free, silk-like; small bump under
anterior nostril; cheek with a fold behind upper lip;
a prominent truncate or curved mental frenum;
predorsal at least partly scaled; (reefs) ................... Bathygobius
46b Upper P rays normal; no bump under anterior
nostril; cheek without a fold; mental frenum
indistinct ...................................................................... 49
20a Cheek with large scales; teeth at sides of upper jaw
directed medially; anterior interorbital pore paired;
mouth horizontal, inferior; (coral reefs) ................. Gnatholepis
20b Cheek naked; teeth at sides of jaws vertical or
directed posteriorly ......................................................... 21
21a V thick, with fleshy lobes at tips of V spines .......................... 22
21b V thin, without fleshy lobes at tips of spines .......................... 24
22a Upper P rays free, silk-like; chin with transverse
or curved mental frenum ..................................... Bathygobius
22b Upper P rays not free; chin without a mental
frenum; (coral reefs) ....................................................... 23
23a Head rounded, the ventral surface with numerous
small bumps .................................................. Paragobiodon
23b Head broad, without bumps .................................. Pleurosicya
24a Head pores absent; size not greater than 50 mm .................... 25
24b Head pores present ......................................................... 28
25a Interorbital broader than pupil; gill opening equals
P base; V frenum present; (estuaries) .................................. 26
25b Interorbital narrower than pupil; gill opening to
below eye or preopercle; V frenum absent; (coral reefs) .......... 27
26a D VI+6-7; no spine in 2nd D or A; segmented Crays 17;
head rounded; (size not greater than 20 mm) ............... Pandaka
26b D VI+I,7-8; A and 2nd D with flexible spine;
segmented Crays 16; head depressed ................... Mugilogobius
27a Gill opening ends below rear margin of preopercle;
head broader than deep, with distinct dark vertical
bars .................................................................... Priolepis
27b Gill opening extends to below eye or rarely to
below rear of preopercle; head compressed, deeper
than broad, uniform, spotted or with irregular
faint bands ............................................................ Trimma
28a V completely separate; (coral reefs and harbours) .................. 29
28b V partly or completely connected ....................................... 31
29a V fringe-like; D VI + 1,7-11; LS 21-26; (size less
than 30 mm) ............................................................ Eviota
29b V normal; D VI+I,11-20; LS58-146; .................................. 30
30a Snout equal to or less than eye; upper jaw teeth in
3 or more rows; gill opening extends to below
preopercle ..................................................... Amblyeleotris
30b Snout much greater than eye; upper jaw teeth
in 1 row; gill opening equals P base ....................... Valenciennea
31a Lower jaw curved upward at tip; C longer than
head in adult; head pores Type B ....................................... 32
31b Lower jaw normal; C longer or shorter than head;
head pores Type A .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 34
32a Head compressed; D VI + 1,6-8; (size less
than 50 mm) ...................................................... Redigobius
32b Head rounded; D VI+ I, 10-13 ........................................... 33
33a Upper jaw teeth in 1 row; D VI + 1,12-13;
LS 42-75 ......................................................... Oxyurichthys
33b Upper jaw teeth in 2 or 3 rows; D VI+ 1,10-11;
LS 25-27 ............................................................. Oligolepis
34a Gill opening extending to below rear margin of
preopercle (or fartherforward) .......................................... 35
34b Gill opening restricted to P base or slightly below .................. 41
35a Scalessmall;LS47-110;DVI+I,9-14 ................................. 36
35b Scales large; LS 25-39; D VI + 1,10-19 .................................. 38
776
36a D VI + 1,9-12; scales cycloid or ctenoid ................. Cryptocentrus
36b D VI + 1,13-14; posterior scales ctenoid, anterior cycloid .......... 37
37a C pointed, longer than head; snout profile at an
angle less than 40° with body axis; papillae pattern
longitudinal .................................................... Vanderhorstia
37b C rounded, shorter than head; snout steep, forming
an angle of more than 50° with body axis; papillae
pattern transverse ............................................ Amblyeleotris
38a Tongue tip bilobed or branchiostegal membranes
forming free fold across isthmus; pre dorsal scaled
at least to above opercle; (freshwater and estuarine) .............. 39
38b Tongue tip truncate; branchiostegal membranes
attached to sides of isthmus; predorsal naked ........................ 40
39a Snout much greater than eye; tongue bilobed;
(freshwater and estuarine, Algoa Bay northwards) .. Glossogobius
39b Snout subequal to or less than eye; tongue weakly
notched; (estuarine, Natal to Port Nolloth) ......... Psammogobius
40a Head depressed; A 1,12-13 .................................... Silhouettea
40b Head compressed; A 1,9 ........................................ Mahidolia
41a D VI + 1,13-15; upper gill arch with finger-like
projections; 10-15 short vertical papillae rows under
eye; operculum with several scales dorsally ............ Amblygobius
41b D VI +1,7-15; upper gill arch without finger-like
projections; 4-6 long vertical papillae rows or
longitudinal rows only under eye; operculum
naked or with 1 scale ....................................................... 42
42a Mouth small, almost horizontal; snout broadly
rounded, ending above front of upper lip;
PD 6-9, reaching eyes; (body with several
longitudinal light lines; midside with series of
round spots; tropical sandy estuaries and
coral reefs) ........................................................ /stigobius
42b Mouth small to large, oblique; snout gently or
steeply sloping, not broadly curved in lateral view,
ending behind upper lip; PD 0-20, usually small
(except in Fusigobius, which has pointed snout),
often not reaching eyes .................................................... 43
43a D VI + 1,7-9; several longitudinal rows of head
papillae; (sandy tropical estuaries and coral
reefs) ............................................................ Favonigobius
43b D VI + 1,9-15; head papillae pattern transverse
or longitudinal ............................................................... 44
44a Snout pointed in dorsal view; head triangular
in cross-section; V frenum low; PD 5-7, reaching
to or near eye; D VI+ 1,10; (body translucent to
white, with scattered blue and small black spots;
sand or coral reefs) .............................................. Fusigobius
44b Snout rounded in dorsal view; head rounded,
depressed or compressed; V frenum well
developed; predorsal scales small, if reaching eyes,
PD greater than 15 .......................................................... 45
45a Head papillae pattern longitudinal ..................................... 46
45b Head papillae pattern transverse ........................................ 47
46a Upper P rays free, silk-like; small bump under
anterior nostril; cheek with a fold behind upper lip;
a prominent truncate or curved mental frenum;
predorsal at least partly scaled; (reefs) ................... Bathygobius
46b Upper P rays normal; no bump under anterior
nostril; cheek without a fold; mental frenum
indistinct ...................................................................... 49