Animal Species:Eastern Longfin Goby, Favonigobius lentiginosus (Richardson, 1844)

The Eastern Longfin-goby can be recognised by its colouration. It is sandy brown above and pale below. The species occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of Australia and New Zealand.

Eastern Longfin Goby

Eastern Longfin Goby
Dave Harasti © Dave Harasti

Alternative Name/s

Long-finned Goby, Spotted Goby

Identification

The Eastern Longfin-goby can be recognised by its colouration. It is sandy brown above and pale below. There are many thin white bars and about five dark brown bars on the sides of the body. Brown diagonal lines cross the head.

Size range

The species grows to 9 cm in length.

Similar Species

The Eastern Longfin-goby looks very similar to the Southern Longfin-goby, Favonigobius lateralis. The two species can be separated by colouration and distribution. The Southern Longfin-goby has dark spots on the sides of the body (rather than bars) and occurs along the southern coast of the Australia from Victoria and Tasmania to Western Australia.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of Australia and New Zealand.

In Australia the Eastern Longfin-goby is known from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland south to the southern coast of New South Wales.

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.

Favonigobius lentiginosus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Eastern Longfin Goby specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:
lentiginosus
Genus:
Favonigobius
Family:
Gobiidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hoese D.F & H.K. Larson. 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.
  2. Paulin, C., Stewart, A., Roberts, C. & P. McMillan. 1989. New Zealand fish: a complete guide. National Museum of New Zealand Miscellaneous Series 19. Pp. 279.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Eastern Longfin-goby, Favonigobius lentiginosus, Gobiidae, brown, yellow, white, long and skinny, < 10 cm, countershaded, soft substrate, marine, adult,