FUSIGOBIUS MAXIMUS - (RANDALL, 2001)
Picture courtesy of: Alain Daoulas
Gobie des sables géant, Large sandgoby,
Synonyme
Coryphopterus maximus (Randall, 2001)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 8. Pectoral fin rays: 17-19 (rarely: 17); Longitudinal scale series: 26-27; Head naked except for scales on side of nape extending to above upper end of preopercular margin; Posterior nostril about halfway between edge of orbit and front of snout; Body depth: 4.7-5.45 in SL; First dorsal fin shorter than sencond; First 4 spines of dorsal fin subequal, the second usually longest: 5.2-5.9 in SL; Pelvic fins fully joined medially by membrane (though often torn); Pelvic frenum present; Pelvic fins usually not reaching origin of anal fin: 4.25-4.6 in SL. Branched caudal rays: 12-13 (usually: 12); Upper unbranched caudal rays: 8-10 (usually: 10), the posterior 3 segmented; Lower unbranched caudal rays: 6-8 (usually: 8), the posterior 2 segmented. Gill rakers: 2-3 + 8; Pseudobranchial filaments: 8-9 (usually: 9); Branchiostegal rays: 5; Vertebrae: 10+16. Max. length: 7.5 cm SL male, 6.9 cm SL female. Depth range: 3 - 21 m.
Color
Translucent light gray with large obscure blackish dashes and smaller white dashes visible along vertebral column; Spots on head and body dusky orange-yellow, except 1 at midbase of caudal fin that is black; Sensory papillae of head black; Pupil dark green, narrowly rimmed in yellow, iris yellowish on upper 3/4 with 5 yellowishbrown blotches, and light gray on lower 1/4; Fins translucent, spots on dorsal and caudal fins dusky orange except for the conspicuous jet black spot on first membrane of first dorsal fin; Outer margin of dorsal fins narrowly white.
Etymology
Fusigobius: from Latin, fusus = spindle + from Latin, gobius = gudgeon.
maximus: from Latin, maximus = greatest (in various senses), biggest, largest (of size). Named for being the largest among its congeners.
Original description: Coryphopterus maximus Randall, 2001 - Type locality: Dumaguete City, off South Sea Resort Hotel, Negros Oriental, Philippines, Mindanao Sea, western Pacific, artifical reef and sand, 21 m, spear, J.E. Randall, 3 June 1981.
Translucent light gray with large obscure blackish dashes and smaller white dashes visible along vertebral column; Spots on head and body dusky orange-yellow, except 1 at midbase of caudal fin that is black; Sensory papillae of head black; Pupil dark green, narrowly rimmed in yellow, iris yellowish on upper 3/4 with 5 yellowishbrown blotches, and light gray on lower 1/4; Fins translucent, spots on dorsal and caudal fins dusky orange except for the conspicuous jet black spot on first membrane of first dorsal fin; Outer margin of dorsal fins narrowly white.
Etymology
Fusigobius: from Latin, fusus = spindle + from Latin, gobius = gudgeon.
maximus: from Latin, maximus = greatest (in various senses), biggest, largest (of size). Named for being the largest among its congeners.
Original description: Coryphopterus maximus Randall, 2001 - Type locality: Dumaguete City, off South Sea Resort Hotel, Negros Oriental, Philippines, Mindanao Sea, western Pacific, artifical reef and sand, 21 m, spear, J.E. Randall, 3 June 1981.
Distribution
Southern Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Wake Atoll and Gambier Islands, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Kimberley (northern Australia), Lord Howe Island, New caledonia, Tonga and Rapa.
Biology
Inhabits sand-rubble bottoms near reefs.
Similar species
Fusigobius pallidus (Randall, 2001) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: east Africa to Palau, Marshall Islands, Philippines.
Fusigobius aureus (Chen & Shao, 1997) - Reported from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Coral Sea. Cheek with an oblique yellow bar. Snout with a yellow band from the margin of the eye through the upper jaw; A yellow spot on upper jaw. Operculum with a line in upper part and a spot in lower. Ventral branchiostegal membrane with some scattered tiny yellow spots. A horizontal yellow line behind eye. First dorsal fin with black blotch from the upper distal margin of membrane before the third spine, then downward to fin base between the second and the third spines, the middle part of the first dorsal fin somewhat orange. Lower part of first dorsal fin with one to two rows of rounded yellow spots.
Southern Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Wake Atoll and Gambier Islands, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Kimberley (northern Australia), Lord Howe Island, New caledonia, Tonga and Rapa.
Biology
Inhabits sand-rubble bottoms near reefs.
Similar species
Fusigobius pallidus (Randall, 2001) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: east Africa to Palau, Marshall Islands, Philippines.
Fusigobius aureus (Chen & Shao, 1997) - Reported from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Coral Sea. Cheek with an oblique yellow bar. Snout with a yellow band from the margin of the eye through the upper jaw; A yellow spot on upper jaw. Operculum with a line in upper part and a spot in lower. Ventral branchiostegal membrane with some scattered tiny yellow spots. A horizontal yellow line behind eye. First dorsal fin with black blotch from the upper distal margin of membrane before the third spine, then downward to fin base between the second and the third spines, the middle part of the first dorsal fin somewhat orange. Lower part of first dorsal fin with one to two rows of rounded yellow spots.