240: GOBIIDAE (GOBlES)
o VI +48-51; A 45-47; P 16-17; LS 52-65; TRB 13-14. Vertebrae 37 or
38. GR rudimentary. Head , nape and belly naked. V connected basally,
ends free; frenum low.
Pink. Attains 18 cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to Natal.
240.102 Trypauchen microcephalus 13 em (off Natal).
Genus Valenciennea Bleeker, 1868
V separate; minute ctenoid scales on body; snout elongate; GR poorly developed; elongate flap on upper limb of
1st gill arch; one row of teeth in upper jaw. Gill opening
equals P base . Type A head pores. Longitudinal cheek
papillae pattern. D VI+I,11-19; A 1,11-19; P 18-24; LS 67146. Vertebrae 26. Sometimes confused with Amblygobius,
which has united V and transverse head papillae. Tropical
and subtropical species living in burrows on sand around
coral reefs and harbours. Fifteen species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a 0 VI+ I, 17-19; some 0 spines filamentous;
elongate horizontal bar on cheek; body uniformly
coloured; no black spot on 1st 0 ............................... V. strigata
I b 0 VI + 1,11-12; no filamentous 0 spines; head
with oblong or round blue spots or 2 longitudinal
stripes; body with 1 or 2 stripes, sometimes faint ;
black spot on 1st 0 .......................................... .. .. ... ... ... ... 2
2a 0 VI + I, II; 2 dark stripes on head and body,
extending onto C ....................................
V. helsdingenii
2b 0 VI + 1,12; head with small round or oblong
blue spots; body with I or 2 faint stripes , not
extending onto C .....................
.. ... .. .... V. sexguuata
240.103 Valenciennea helsdingenii
(Bleeker, 1858)
PLATE 125
Railway glider
Spoorweg-swerwer
Eleotriodes helsdingenii Bleeker, 1858: 212 (Goram . Indonesia);
Smith, 1958: 151 *; 196\: 570 , No. 943. Calleleotris helsdingenii: Smith.
SFSA No. 943*. Valenciennea helsdingenii: Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979:
5.
o VI+I ,l1; A 1,11; P 21-23; LS !00-120; TRB 38-48. Third and 4th 0
spines subequal; C with 2 elongate filaments.
Coral reefs and harbours in depths of 1 - 30 m. Attains 16
cm. Widespread in tropical Indo-Pacific, south to Delagoa
Bay.
806
240.104 Valenciennea sexguttata
(Valenciennes, 1837)
PLATE 125
Ladder glider
Leer-swerwer
Eleotris sexguuatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1837: 254 (Trincomalee, Ceylon). Eleotriodcs sexgUlta1Us: Smith, 1958: 150*; 1961: 570,
No. 943a. Valencienllea sexguuatus: Hoese & Winterbottom , 1979: 5.
o VI+I ,12; A 1,12; P 19-21; LS 68-80; TRB 22-28. Third 0 spine
longest.
Sandy areas on coral reefs. Attains 13 cm. Tropical IndoPacific, south to Bazaruto.
240.105 Valenciennea strigata
(Broussonet, 1787)
PLATE 126
Pennant glider
Vlag-swerwer
Gobius strigatus Broussonet , 1787: 1, PI. I (near Tahiti). Eleotriodes
strigallls: Smith, 1958: 151 *.
o VI+I,17-19; A 1,16-19; P 21-23; LS 103-120; TRB 31-40; GR
(1-2)+(6-8).
Immediately recognised by curved dark bar below eye to
opercle. Found around rubble on coral reefs in depths of
1 - 20 m. Attains 18 cm. Widespread in Indo-Pacific, south
to Sodwana Bay.
Genus Vanderhorstia Smith, 1949
Head compressed; gill opening from rear preopercular
margin to below eye; cheek papillae pattern longitudinal;
head pores Type A. Scales cycloid or ctenoid. Va disc. D
VI+I,12-16; A 1,12-17; P 17-19; LS 47-67. Vertebrae 26.
Tropical and subtropical species, living in burrows with alphaeid shrimps on sandy bottoms, often near coral reefs.
Most easily confused with Amblyeleotris and Cryptocentrus, which have a transverse cheek papillae pattern. About
8 species, 1 in our area.
240.106 Vanderhorstia delagoae
(Barnard, 1937)
PLATE 125
Candystick goby
Suikerstok-dikkop
Gobius delagoae Barnard, 1937: 62, Fig. 3 (Oe1agoa Bay); Smith, SFSA
No. 930*. Vanderhorstia delagoae: Smith, 1959: 192, Fig. 4; 1960: 303;
1961: 570, No. 930.
240.106 Vanderhorstia delagoae: 7 em holotype (Inhaca Id.).
o VI +48-51; A 45-47; P 16-17; LS 52-65; TRB 13-14. Vertebrae 37 or
38. GR rudimentary. Head , nape and belly naked. V connected basally,
ends free; frenum low.
Pink. Attains 18 cm. Indo-West Pacific, south to Natal.
240.102 Trypauchen microcephalus 13 em (off Natal).
Genus Valenciennea Bleeker, 1868
V separate; minute ctenoid scales on body; snout elongate; GR poorly developed; elongate flap on upper limb of
1st gill arch; one row of teeth in upper jaw. Gill opening
equals P base . Type A head pores. Longitudinal cheek
papillae pattern. D VI+I,11-19; A 1,11-19; P 18-24; LS 67146. Vertebrae 26. Sometimes confused with Amblygobius,
which has united V and transverse head papillae. Tropical
and subtropical species living in burrows on sand around
coral reefs and harbours. Fifteen species, 3 in our area.
KEY TO SPECIES
1a 0 VI+ I, 17-19; some 0 spines filamentous;
elongate horizontal bar on cheek; body uniformly
coloured; no black spot on 1st 0 ............................... V. strigata
I b 0 VI + 1,11-12; no filamentous 0 spines; head
with oblong or round blue spots or 2 longitudinal
stripes; body with 1 or 2 stripes, sometimes faint ;
black spot on 1st 0 .......................................... .. .. ... ... ... ... 2
2a 0 VI + I, II; 2 dark stripes on head and body,
extending onto C ....................................
V. helsdingenii
2b 0 VI + 1,12; head with small round or oblong
blue spots; body with I or 2 faint stripes , not
extending onto C .....................
.. ... .. .... V. sexguuata
240.103 Valenciennea helsdingenii
(Bleeker, 1858)
PLATE 125
Railway glider
Spoorweg-swerwer
Eleotriodes helsdingenii Bleeker, 1858: 212 (Goram . Indonesia);
Smith, 1958: 151 *; 196\: 570 , No. 943. Calleleotris helsdingenii: Smith.
SFSA No. 943*. Valenciennea helsdingenii: Hoese & Winterbottom, 1979:
5.
o VI+I ,l1; A 1,11; P 21-23; LS !00-120; TRB 38-48. Third and 4th 0
spines subequal; C with 2 elongate filaments.
Coral reefs and harbours in depths of 1 - 30 m. Attains 16
cm. Widespread in tropical Indo-Pacific, south to Delagoa
Bay.
806
240.104 Valenciennea sexguttata
(Valenciennes, 1837)
PLATE 125
Ladder glider
Leer-swerwer
Eleotris sexguuatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1837: 254 (Trincomalee, Ceylon). Eleotriodcs sexgUlta1Us: Smith, 1958: 150*; 1961: 570,
No. 943a. Valencienllea sexguuatus: Hoese & Winterbottom , 1979: 5.
o VI+I ,12; A 1,12; P 19-21; LS 68-80; TRB 22-28. Third 0 spine
longest.
Sandy areas on coral reefs. Attains 13 cm. Tropical IndoPacific, south to Bazaruto.
240.105 Valenciennea strigata
(Broussonet, 1787)
PLATE 126
Pennant glider
Vlag-swerwer
Gobius strigatus Broussonet , 1787: 1, PI. I (near Tahiti). Eleotriodes
strigallls: Smith, 1958: 151 *.
o VI+I,17-19; A 1,16-19; P 21-23; LS 103-120; TRB 31-40; GR
(1-2)+(6-8).
Immediately recognised by curved dark bar below eye to
opercle. Found around rubble on coral reefs in depths of
1 - 20 m. Attains 18 cm. Widespread in Indo-Pacific, south
to Sodwana Bay.
Genus Vanderhorstia Smith, 1949
Head compressed; gill opening from rear preopercular
margin to below eye; cheek papillae pattern longitudinal;
head pores Type A. Scales cycloid or ctenoid. Va disc. D
VI+I,12-16; A 1,12-17; P 17-19; LS 47-67. Vertebrae 26.
Tropical and subtropical species, living in burrows with alphaeid shrimps on sandy bottoms, often near coral reefs.
Most easily confused with Amblyeleotris and Cryptocentrus, which have a transverse cheek papillae pattern. About
8 species, 1 in our area.
240.106 Vanderhorstia delagoae
(Barnard, 1937)
PLATE 125
Candystick goby
Suikerstok-dikkop
Gobius delagoae Barnard, 1937: 62, Fig. 3 (Oe1agoa Bay); Smith, SFSA
No. 930*. Vanderhorstia delagoae: Smith, 1959: 192, Fig. 4; 1960: 303;
1961: 570, No. 930.
240.106 Vanderhorstia delagoae: 7 em holotype (Inhaca Id.).