Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Gobiiformes (Order) > Gobiidae (Family) > Gobiinae (Subfamily) > Gobiodon (Genus)

Maori coralgoby, Broad-banded goby, Broad-barred goby, Broad-barred maori goby, Broad-barred coralgoby, Maori coral goby, Blue-spotted coral goby, Green clown goby, Benisashikobanhaze, ベニサシコバンハゼ, 宽纹叶鰕虎鱼, 

Synonymes
Gobiodon verticalis (Alleyne & MacLeay, 1877)
Gobius histrio (Valenciennes, 1837)

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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spine: 1; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays: 21. Absence of scales; Complete pelvic fin frenum and basal membrane; A median groove on isthmus, widening posteriorly; Depth of body at level of pelvic fins: 2.2-2.7 in SL. Max. length: 3.5 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 30 m, usually: 2 - 15 m.

Color
Green body with red to violet stripes, broken lines or rows of spots along the side, 4-5 reddish vertical bars on the head and pectoral-fin base that extend above the level of the eye, and a dark spot on the upper rear part of the gill cover.

Etymology
Gobiodon: from Latin, gobius = gudgeon + from Greek, odous = teeth. Referring to pair of posterior canines near symphysis of lower jaw of Gobiodon heterospilos.
histrio: from Latin, histrio = related with actors, an actor, player.
Original description: Gobius histrio Valenciennes, 1837 - Type localities: Bantam, Java, eastern Indian Ocean; Tongatapu, Tonga Islands, South Pacific.

Distribution
Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Islands east to Samoa, north to Philippines, south to northern Australia and New Caledonia.

Biology
Solitary or in pairs, also found in reef crests and lagoons. Facultative air-breathing; Found among branches of Acropora nasuta (Munday, 2000). On the Great Barrier Reef, this coral species has two color morphs - one with blue tips, the other with brown tips. Gobiodon histrio often prefers the 'blue-tip' variety, with one breeding pair sheltering within a single coral colony. Feeds on a range of small invertebrates. Capable of changing sex during their life. Remarkably, they can change sex in both directions, from male to female (protandrous), and from female to male (protogynous). Aquarium fish.

Similar species
Gobiodon aoyagii (Shibukawa, Suzuki & Aizawa, 2013) - Reported from Japan, Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea and East Indies.
Gobiodon erythrospilus (Bleeker, 1875) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).

Last update: 13, November 2022