47a LS 33-63 ; D VI+I ,9-15; (estuarine , tide pools and
coastal subtidal) ... .. ...... ....... ... .......... ...... ....... ... Caffrogobius
47b LS 25-34; D VI +I,9-11; (Algoa Bay northwards) .... .. ........... .. 48
48a Mouth reaching below rear half of eye; upper Prays
often free; anterior nostril often with a small flap;
no white spot on upper P base; (tidepools and
coral reefs) . ... .. . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. . . . . . .. .. . .. . . . .. . . . . .. M onishia
48b Mouth reaching below front half of eye; no free
P rays; no flap on anterior nostril; white spot at upper
P base; (mangroves; Delagoa Bay northwards) ............ Drombus
49a Pre dorsal naked ... ....... ............ ... ........... ..... .... ... ........... .. 50
49b Pre dorsal scaled .... .... ... .... ........... ........ ..... ...... Acentrogobius
50a C peduncle and midsides with dark spots
larger than eye .... .... .. .. .... ... ... .... ........ .. ... .... .... .. Yongeichthys
50b C peduncle without enlarged spots ....... .... ..... .............. Amoya
Genus Acentrogobius Bleeker, 1874
Scales large, ctenoid; PO scales to near eyes; operculum
often scaled. Easily confused with Amoya and Yongeichthys. Gill opening to just below P base; V a disc. A low mental frenum, usually with clusters of papillae behind, or a
transverse row. 0 VI+I,9-1O; A 1,8-9; P 16-19; LS 26-34.
Vertebrae 26. Tropical species found on mud and sand bottoms in mangroves and coastal bays. Several species, 1 in
our area.
240.1 Acentrogobius audax
Smith,1959
Mangrove goby
Mangrove-dikkop
Acentrogobius audax Smith, 1959: 201, Fig. 17 (lbo, Mozambique) .
D VI+I,9; A 1,9; P 17; LS 26 ; TRB 8; PD 12; GR 2+9. PD scales to
above mid-opercle. No cheek or opercular scales.
C peduncle with a curved dark bar, followed by a dark bar
on C base. Attains 6.5 cm. Ibo and Natal.
240.1 Acentrogobius audax: 5.5 cm holotype (N. Mozambique).
Genus Amblyeleotris Bleeker, 1874
Body slender; gill opening reaching to below middle of
preopercle; head pores Type A; transverse cheek papillae
pattern; anterior body scales cycloid, posterior scales
ctenoid; V separate, partly connected or united; V frenum
240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
present or absent. 0 VI+I,12-19; A 1,12-19; P 18-21; LS
58-110. Vertebrae 26. Most easily confused with Cryptocentrus and Vanderhorstia. Lives in burrows with alphaeid
shrimps on coral reefs. About 25 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la A 1,14; midline of nape naked; scales mostly
cycloid, ctenoid from behind about mid second D ..... ..... A . aurora
Ib A 1,12; midline of nape scaled; scales ctenoid from
below origin of second D posteriorly .... .......... .......... A. wheeleri
240.2 Amblyeleotris aurora
(Polunin & Lubbock, 1977)
PLATE 126
Pinkbar goby
Pienkbalk-dikkop
Cryptocentrus aurora Polunin & Lubbock, 1977: 84, Fig. 13 (Aldabra).
D VI+I,13; A 1,14; P 18-19; LS 64-82; TRB 23-27 ; PD 0; GR
(2-4)+(10-12). Breast scaled; P base partly scaled; V connected at base
only, no frenum. Midline of nape naked, sides scaled forward to above
end of operculum.
Body with 3 broad pinkish bars; C with 3-9 oval to round
spots, red in life. Attains 9 cm. Known only from islands of
western Indian Ocean from Maldives southwards and
northern Natal.
240.2 Amblyeleotris aurora: 7.5 cm SL holotype; head enlarged to show pores
(Aldabra; after Polunin & Lubbock, 1977).
240.3 Amblyeleotris wheeleri
(Polunin & Lubbock, 1977)
PLATE 126
Gorgeous goby
Mooidikkop
Cryptocentrus wheeleri Polunin & Lubbock, 1977: 88, Figs. 16 & 17
(Aldabra).
D VI+I,12; A 1,12; P 18-20; LS 50-58; TRB 18-21 ; PD 12-20;
GR (1-3)+(8-10). P base scaled; V connected for about half length, no frenum; midline of nape scaled to above operculum.
Body with 6 broad black or reddish subvertical bands; 0
with scattered red spots; A with blue or reddish stripe near
middle of fin; C with scattered spots and a reddish oblique
777
coastal subtidal) ... .. ...... ....... ... .......... ...... ....... ... Caffrogobius
47b LS 25-34; D VI +I,9-11; (Algoa Bay northwards) .... .. ........... .. 48
48a Mouth reaching below rear half of eye; upper Prays
often free; anterior nostril often with a small flap;
no white spot on upper P base; (tidepools and
coral reefs) . ... .. . . . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. .. . .. . . . . . .. .. . .. . . . .. . . . . .. M onishia
48b Mouth reaching below front half of eye; no free
P rays; no flap on anterior nostril; white spot at upper
P base; (mangroves; Delagoa Bay northwards) ............ Drombus
49a Pre dorsal naked ... ....... ............ ... ........... ..... .... ... ........... .. 50
49b Pre dorsal scaled .... .... ... .... ........... ........ ..... ...... Acentrogobius
50a C peduncle and midsides with dark spots
larger than eye .... .... .. .. .... ... ... .... ........ .. ... .... .... .. Yongeichthys
50b C peduncle without enlarged spots ....... .... ..... .............. Amoya
Genus Acentrogobius Bleeker, 1874
Scales large, ctenoid; PO scales to near eyes; operculum
often scaled. Easily confused with Amoya and Yongeichthys. Gill opening to just below P base; V a disc. A low mental frenum, usually with clusters of papillae behind, or a
transverse row. 0 VI+I,9-1O; A 1,8-9; P 16-19; LS 26-34.
Vertebrae 26. Tropical species found on mud and sand bottoms in mangroves and coastal bays. Several species, 1 in
our area.
240.1 Acentrogobius audax
Smith,1959
Mangrove goby
Mangrove-dikkop
Acentrogobius audax Smith, 1959: 201, Fig. 17 (lbo, Mozambique) .
D VI+I,9; A 1,9; P 17; LS 26 ; TRB 8; PD 12; GR 2+9. PD scales to
above mid-opercle. No cheek or opercular scales.
C peduncle with a curved dark bar, followed by a dark bar
on C base. Attains 6.5 cm. Ibo and Natal.
240.1 Acentrogobius audax: 5.5 cm holotype (N. Mozambique).
Genus Amblyeleotris Bleeker, 1874
Body slender; gill opening reaching to below middle of
preopercle; head pores Type A; transverse cheek papillae
pattern; anterior body scales cycloid, posterior scales
ctenoid; V separate, partly connected or united; V frenum
240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
present or absent. 0 VI+I,12-19; A 1,12-19; P 18-21; LS
58-110. Vertebrae 26. Most easily confused with Cryptocentrus and Vanderhorstia. Lives in burrows with alphaeid
shrimps on coral reefs. About 25 species, 2 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
la A 1,14; midline of nape naked; scales mostly
cycloid, ctenoid from behind about mid second D ..... ..... A . aurora
Ib A 1,12; midline of nape scaled; scales ctenoid from
below origin of second D posteriorly .... .......... .......... A. wheeleri
240.2 Amblyeleotris aurora
(Polunin & Lubbock, 1977)
PLATE 126
Pinkbar goby
Pienkbalk-dikkop
Cryptocentrus aurora Polunin & Lubbock, 1977: 84, Fig. 13 (Aldabra).
D VI+I,13; A 1,14; P 18-19; LS 64-82; TRB 23-27 ; PD 0; GR
(2-4)+(10-12). Breast scaled; P base partly scaled; V connected at base
only, no frenum. Midline of nape naked, sides scaled forward to above
end of operculum.
Body with 3 broad pinkish bars; C with 3-9 oval to round
spots, red in life. Attains 9 cm. Known only from islands of
western Indian Ocean from Maldives southwards and
northern Natal.
240.2 Amblyeleotris aurora: 7.5 cm SL holotype; head enlarged to show pores
(Aldabra; after Polunin & Lubbock, 1977).
240.3 Amblyeleotris wheeleri
(Polunin & Lubbock, 1977)
PLATE 126
Gorgeous goby
Mooidikkop
Cryptocentrus wheeleri Polunin & Lubbock, 1977: 88, Figs. 16 & 17
(Aldabra).
D VI+I,12; A 1,12; P 18-20; LS 50-58; TRB 18-21 ; PD 12-20;
GR (1-3)+(8-10). P base scaled; V connected for about half length, no frenum; midline of nape scaled to above operculum.
Body with 6 broad black or reddish subvertical bands; 0
with scattered red spots; A with blue or reddish stripe near
middle of fin; C with scattered spots and a reddish oblique
777