| Family: |
Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae |
| Max. size: |
2.27 cm SL (male/unsexed); 2.25 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range - 30 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: Papua New Guinea. Most likely to be more widespread in the East Indian region |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal soft rays: 8-9; Vertebrae: 26-26. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D VI+I,9-10 (usually 9), with second dorsal-fin spine forming an elongate filament extending to between base of fourth and last segmented dorsal-fin ray when adpressed; A I,8–9 (usually 9); pectoral-fin rays 18; relatively broad interorbital (75-91% pupil diameter); 10-12 papillae in posterior transverse interorbital row; the upper part of opercle with about 10-12 scales arranged in 3 or 4 transverse rows; pelvic without frenum. Colour when fresh is generally yellow (including iris, except opercle, upper part of cheek, and area
immediately behind eye sometimes pinkish); head, body, and fins covered with numerous pepper-like melanophores, most prominent on side of body; fins yellow, except pelvic fins translucent; second dorsal fin, caudal fin, and anal fin with blue margin, widest on anal fin; dorsal fins with narrow blue stripe at base, second dorsal fin also with longitudinal row of blue spots just above stripe; filamentous extension of second dorsal-fin spine blue (Ref. 118649). |
| Biology: |
Specimens were collected using rotenone in a sheltered bay on a mainly flat mud bottom in 30 m depth. Seldom collected due to its small size and predilection for seldom-dived, mud-bottom habitat. It is likely to live in the burrows of larger mud-dwelling fishes such as jawfish or Oxymetopon ribbongobies (for P. aithiops found at the type locality also shelters in the burrows of Oxymetopon compressus) (Ref. 118649). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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