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

Gobie d'Ambanoro, Ambanoro goby, Ambonoro shrimpgoby, Ambanoro prawn-goby, Twin-spotted shrimp-goby, Twinspot shrimp goby, Twinspot shrimpgoby, Shima-orihaze, シマオリハゼ, 紋腹梵鰕虎, 紋腹梵鰕虎魚,

Synonymes
Cryptocentrus ambanoro (Fourmanoir, 1957)
Cryptocentrus fasciaventris (Smith, 1959)
Vanderhorstia ambonoro (Fourmanoir, 1957)

------------------------

Description
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Second dorsal fin spine: 1; Dorsal soft rays: 13; Anal spine: 1; Anal soft rays: 13; Pectoral fin rays: 17-19; Lateral scale series: 71-85; Greatest depth of body: 5.5-6.4 in SL. Transverse rows of scales backwards: 22-26; Body elongate, compressed. Head subcylindrical; Lower jaw slightly projecting anteriorly beyond upper jaw; Gill opening wide, extending anteriorly to well beyond a vertical line through posterior margin of preopercle. First dorsal fin near rectangular, without elongate spines; Pelvic fins united medially; Frenum present; Head without scales; Sensory canals and pores present on head; Longitudinal pattern of sensory papillae rows on cheek; A pair of sensory papillae just behind chin. Scales cycloid except for few rows of ctenoid scales along caudal fin base. Caudal fin oblong, longer than head. Max. length: 8.1 cm SL. Depth range: 4 - 25 m.

Color
Head and body whitish to pearly grey, with 2-3 rows of small dark brown spots along body, lowermost row (along midside) with largest spots; In some specimens, midside spots partly joined to dorsal spots by short, mostly oblique bars; Small iridescent blue spots and streaks on head and dorsal half of body.

Etymology
Vanderhorstia: in honnor of Professor C.J. van der Horst (1889-1951) of the Witwatersrand University (South Africa) for a donnation of fishes collection.
ambanoro: named for Ambanoro Bay, Nossi-Bé, Mozambique Channel, Madagascar, type locality.
Original description: Cryptocentrus ambanoro Fourmanoir, 1957 - Type locality: Ambanoro Bay, Nosy Be, Mozambique Channel, Madagascar, depth: 6-10 meters.

Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Amirantes (Seychelles) and Madagascar, east to Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to Amami Islands (southern Japan), south to New Caledonia.

Biology
Found in coastal bays and lagoons on sandy or muddy substrat. Lives with grey or brown Alpheus spp. Aquarium fish (rare).

Similar species
Vanderhorstia opercularis (Randall, 2007) - Reported from Red Sea: Gulf of Aqaba endemic.

Last update: 14, April 2023