Bridled Goby, Arenigobius bifrenatus (Kner, 1865)

Introduction

The Bridled Goby is a small brownish fish with two stripes behind the eye. It usually lives in muddy or sandy areas, often in estuaries.

Identification

The Bridled Goby can be recognised by its colour pattern. It is grey to brown with two stripes passing posteriorly from the eye. One crosses the operculum horizontally and a second passes diagonally to the pectoral fin base. A third dark stripe runs from the pectoral fin base, along the lower side of the body, eventually breaking up into a series of irregular dark spots.

Adult males have elongate caudal fins.

Habitat

Bridled Gobies occur in estuarine and inshore waters. They live in burrows in muddy and sandy substrates often in seagrass beds.

Distribution

It is endemic to Australia, occurring in temperate waters from southern Queensland to south-western Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. in Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
2. Hoese, D.F. & Larson, H.K. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
3. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.