Orangespotted Glidergoby, Valenciennea puellaris (Tomiyama, 1956)

Scientific name: Valenciennea puellaris
Alternative name/s:
Orange Dashed Goby, Orange-spotted Sleeper Goby, Orangespotted Glider Goby
Orangespotted Glidergoby, <i>Valenciennes puellaris</i> Click to enlarge image
Orangespotted Glidergoby at a depth of 15m, Gabet Point, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, 18 October 2009. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Valenciennea
    Species
    puellaris
    Family
    Gobiidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 14 cm in length.

Introduction

The Orangespotted Glidergoby is light brown to grey above and white below. It lives in a burrow that it excavates in sand or rubble.

Identification

The Orangespotted Glidergoby is light brown to grey above and white below. It has a blue-edged orange line along the side of the body, a series of orange dashes on the upper body and two rows of light blue dashes on the head.

Habitat

The species lives in a burrow that it excavates in sand or rubble. It is often seen in pairs.

Distribution

The Orangespotted Glidergoby occurs widely in marine waters of the tropical Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to northern 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.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. 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.
  4. Hoese, D. F., and H. K. Larson. 1994. Revision of the Indo-Pacific gobiid fish genus Valenciennea, with descriptions of seven new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes No. 23: 1-71.Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.