240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
Genus Pandaka Herre, 1927
Head rounded; without pores; D VI +6-7; A 6-7 (no spine
in 2nd D and A). P 13-16; LS 20-24; TRB 4-6. Vertebrae 25.
Va disc. Head papillae reduced. Scales ctenoid. Gill opening equals P base. Most easily confused with juveniles of
Redigobius, which have a compressed head, narrow interorbital, and 2nd D and A with a spine. About 5 species,
found in tropical estuaries and freshwater; 1 species in our
area.
240.72 Pandaka silvana
(Barnard, 1943)
Dwarfgoby
Dwergdikkop
Cobius silvana Barnard. 1943: 258 (Knysna Lagoon). Pandaka minuta
Smith, 1959: 205, Fig. 23 (Wamizi Id., Mozambique). Pandaka silvana:
Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 106*
D VI+7; A 7; P 14-16; LS 20-22; TRB 5-6; PD 0-3. Mouth small.
reaches to below front of eye. Head, P base and prepelvic naked; predorsal with scales just before D, naked in front.
Body with irregular black spots and oblique bars; 4 black
spots along A base and lower part of peduncle; 1 st D black
anteriorly. Attains 1.6 cm. Northern Mozambique to
Knysna.
240.72 Pandaka silvana: less than 2 em SL female lectotype (Knysna: after
Penrith & Penrith. 1972).
Genus ParachaeturichthYU5 Bleeker, 1874
D VI+I,9-11; A 1,9-10; P 19-22; LS 25-31; TRB 7-11.
Vertebrae 26. Short barbels on chin; large ctenoid scales on
nape and opercle; cheek scaled; head pores Type A, anterior interorbital pore absent; cheek papillae longitudinal.
Gill opening to below mid-operculum. Scales ctenoid. Two
species, trawled in tropical areas.
240.73 Parachaeturichthys polynema
(Bleeker, 1853)
Taileyed goby
Stertoog-dikkop
Chaeturichthys polynema Bleeker. 1853: 44. Fig. 4 (Japan). Cobius
polynema: Smith, SFSA No. 920*. Parachaeturichthys polynema: Smith.
1959: 197*; 1960: 302; 1961: 570. No. 920.
D VI+I.9-ll; A 1,9-10; P 20-22; LS 25-30; TRB 7-8; PD 12-14; GR
2+10.
Upper base of C with a large black spot surrounded by
798
yellow; body greenish, fins dark. Attains 15 cm. Indo-West
Pacific, south to Natal.
240.73 Parachaeturichthys polynema: 7.5 em (Natal).
Genus Paragobiodon Bleeker, 1873
Numerous small bumps and flaps on lower surface of
head; Va disc, with fleshy frenum; large ctenoid scales on
body; head and nape naked. Head pores Type A; cheek
papillae reduced. Gill opening equals P base. D VI + 1,9; A
1,8-9; P 19-23; LS 22-26. Vertebrae 26. Easily confused with
Gobiodon, which lacks scales. About 7 species; only P.
modestus known in our area, but 3 others that may occur
here are also included. Most species have been confused
under the name P. echinocephalus. Tropical species living
in corals of the genera Pocillopora, Seriatopora and
Stylophora.
KEY TO SPECIES
1 a Head and body uniformly tan, green or light brown .................. 2
Ib Body black. head distinctly paler .......................................... 3
2a Fins. except V. black; midline of belly naked;
top of head with minute bumps ............................ P. lacunicolus
2b Fins coloured like body; midline of belly scaled;
top of head with elongate flaps in adult ............... P. xanthosomus
3a Midline of belly naked; top of head with minute
bumps .............................................................. P. modestus
3b Midline of belly scaled, at least posteriorly, head
with elongate bumps ..................................... P. echinocephalus
240.74 Paragobiodon echinocephalus
(Ruppell, 1830)
Redhead goby
Rooikop-dikkop
Cobius echinocephalus Ruppell, 1830: 136. PI. 34, Fig. 3 (Massaua,
Red Sea). Paragobiodon echinocephalus: Smith, 1959: 218 (in part).
D VI+I.9; A [,9; P 19-21; LS 22-23; TRB 8-9.
Head red to reddish orange; body and fins black. Attains
3.5 cm. Associated with Stylophora coral. Indo-West
Pacific.
240.74 Paragobiodon echinocephalus: 1.5 em SL (N. Mozambique).
Genus Pandaka Herre, 1927
Head rounded; without pores; D VI +6-7; A 6-7 (no spine
in 2nd D and A). P 13-16; LS 20-24; TRB 4-6. Vertebrae 25.
Va disc. Head papillae reduced. Scales ctenoid. Gill opening equals P base. Most easily confused with juveniles of
Redigobius, which have a compressed head, narrow interorbital, and 2nd D and A with a spine. About 5 species,
found in tropical estuaries and freshwater; 1 species in our
area.
240.72 Pandaka silvana
(Barnard, 1943)
Dwarfgoby
Dwergdikkop
Cobius silvana Barnard. 1943: 258 (Knysna Lagoon). Pandaka minuta
Smith, 1959: 205, Fig. 23 (Wamizi Id., Mozambique). Pandaka silvana:
Penrith & Penrith, 1972: 106*
D VI+7; A 7; P 14-16; LS 20-22; TRB 5-6; PD 0-3. Mouth small.
reaches to below front of eye. Head, P base and prepelvic naked; predorsal with scales just before D, naked in front.
Body with irregular black spots and oblique bars; 4 black
spots along A base and lower part of peduncle; 1 st D black
anteriorly. Attains 1.6 cm. Northern Mozambique to
Knysna.
240.72 Pandaka silvana: less than 2 em SL female lectotype (Knysna: after
Penrith & Penrith. 1972).
Genus ParachaeturichthYU5 Bleeker, 1874
D VI+I,9-11; A 1,9-10; P 19-22; LS 25-31; TRB 7-11.
Vertebrae 26. Short barbels on chin; large ctenoid scales on
nape and opercle; cheek scaled; head pores Type A, anterior interorbital pore absent; cheek papillae longitudinal.
Gill opening to below mid-operculum. Scales ctenoid. Two
species, trawled in tropical areas.
240.73 Parachaeturichthys polynema
(Bleeker, 1853)
Taileyed goby
Stertoog-dikkop
Chaeturichthys polynema Bleeker. 1853: 44. Fig. 4 (Japan). Cobius
polynema: Smith, SFSA No. 920*. Parachaeturichthys polynema: Smith.
1959: 197*; 1960: 302; 1961: 570. No. 920.
D VI+I.9-ll; A 1,9-10; P 20-22; LS 25-30; TRB 7-8; PD 12-14; GR
2+10.
Upper base of C with a large black spot surrounded by
798
yellow; body greenish, fins dark. Attains 15 cm. Indo-West
Pacific, south to Natal.
240.73 Parachaeturichthys polynema: 7.5 em (Natal).
Genus Paragobiodon Bleeker, 1873
Numerous small bumps and flaps on lower surface of
head; Va disc, with fleshy frenum; large ctenoid scales on
body; head and nape naked. Head pores Type A; cheek
papillae reduced. Gill opening equals P base. D VI + 1,9; A
1,8-9; P 19-23; LS 22-26. Vertebrae 26. Easily confused with
Gobiodon, which lacks scales. About 7 species; only P.
modestus known in our area, but 3 others that may occur
here are also included. Most species have been confused
under the name P. echinocephalus. Tropical species living
in corals of the genera Pocillopora, Seriatopora and
Stylophora.
KEY TO SPECIES
1 a Head and body uniformly tan, green or light brown .................. 2
Ib Body black. head distinctly paler .......................................... 3
2a Fins. except V. black; midline of belly naked;
top of head with minute bumps ............................ P. lacunicolus
2b Fins coloured like body; midline of belly scaled;
top of head with elongate flaps in adult ............... P. xanthosomus
3a Midline of belly naked; top of head with minute
bumps .............................................................. P. modestus
3b Midline of belly scaled, at least posteriorly, head
with elongate bumps ..................................... P. echinocephalus
240.74 Paragobiodon echinocephalus
(Ruppell, 1830)
Redhead goby
Rooikop-dikkop
Cobius echinocephalus Ruppell, 1830: 136. PI. 34, Fig. 3 (Massaua,
Red Sea). Paragobiodon echinocephalus: Smith, 1959: 218 (in part).
D VI+I.9; A [,9; P 19-21; LS 22-23; TRB 8-9.
Head red to reddish orange; body and fins black. Attains
3.5 cm. Associated with Stylophora coral. Indo-West
Pacific.
240.74 Paragobiodon echinocephalus: 1.5 em SL (N. Mozambique).