Old Glory Goby, Amblygobius rainfordi (Whitley, 1940)

Scientific name: Amblygobius rainfordi
Alternative name/s:
Rainfords Goby, Old Glory, Red-lined Goby and Red-striped Goby.
Old Glory Goby, <i>Amblygobius rainfordi</i> Click to enlarge image
An Old Glory Goby at a depth of 14m, Flare Point, Ribbon Reefs, Queensland, 16 June 2010. Image: William White
© William White

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Amblygobius
    Species
    rainfordi
    Family
    Gobiidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    This species grows to 6.5 cm in length.

Introduction

The Old Glory Goby has five blue-edged orange stripes on the body and five white spots along the bases of the dorsal fins. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.

Identification

The Old Glory Goby has five blue-edged orange stripes on the body and five white spots along the bases of the dorsal fins. There is a black ocellus (glossary) in the middle of the second dorsal fin, and another at the base of the caudal peduncle.

Habitat

The Old Glory Goby is usually found in sandy or muddy-bottomed habitats close to coastal reefs. It occurs at depths of 3m to 20m. The species is usually seen hovering within 0.5 m of the bottom.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific, from the Philippines, south to Australia and east to Fiji.

In Australia the Old Glory is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia, and from the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

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.

Feeding and diet

It feeds by taking a mouthful of sand and sifting it through its gill rakers, capturing small invertebrates and other organic debris.

Other behaviours and adaptations

Unlike other members of this genus, the Old Glory Goby does not retreat into a burrow when disturbed, and is often seen in the open.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
  2. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 222.
  3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 415.
  4. Whitley, G.P. (1940). Illustrations of some Australian fishes. Australian Zoologist. 9(4): 397-428.