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Gobies
Family Gobiidae |
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Shadow
goby
Yongeichthys nebulosus
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Gobies
abound in the seagrass lagoon but are hard to spot. At the slightest
sign of danger, they bolt into burrows or dart under rocks. Even in
plain sight, they blend in with the sand and mud.
Bottom dwellers: Many gobies are
adapted for bottom dwelling, feeding mainly on small animals. Most
are not fast, long-distance swimmers. Their bodies are cylindrical
rather than streamlined, and they lack a swim bladder. They usually
have large eyes high up on the head to keep a look out for danger.
The pelvic fins are often fused to form a suction pad to grip surfaces.
Goby Babies: In some goby species,
the male guards the eggs. The elongated, club-shaped eggs are stuck
onto a surface, usually inside a burrow, crevice, empty shell or other
safe place. Some species may change gender, and a few may be simultaneous
hermaprodites (each fish has both male and female reproductive organs).
Gobies Galore: Gobies make up
the largest family of fishes with about 1,500 known species. Because
they are small, shy and well camouflaged, new species are being discovered
all the time! The gobies usually seen on Chek Jawa are around 6cm.
Another group of familiar gobies found on Chek Jawa are the mudskippers.
The smallest fish in the world belongs to the Family Gobiidae. This
is Trimmatom nanus, which reaches only 0.8-1cm long and is
found in the Chagos Archipelago and Maldives. This fish is also the
smallest vertebrate.
 Fishy
friend : The shrimp goby lives in the same burrow with
a snapping shrimp. With keener eyesight, the goby keeps a look-out
while the shrimp busily digs out and maintains their shared home.
The shrimp is literally constantly in touch with the goby with at
least one of its antennae always on the goby. When the goby darts
into the burrow, the shrimp is right behind it! Shrimp gobies and
their associated shrimps can be seen on Chek Jawa particularly in
the coral rubble area.
Other tiny gobies found in coral reefs live in close association with
other animals, taking on the colours and patterns of their 'partners'
for perfect camouflage. Such tiny gobies may be found among the branches
of sea fans, or on sponges and corals.
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Ornate goby
Istigobius ornatus
Gobies Gone!
Gobies at Play
You have to be quiet and patient or they
won't come out to play
Gorgeous Goby
Some gobies,
however, can be
large and colourful
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quick
facts
Tiny gobies about 5cm or smaller are common everywhere on
Chek Jawa. In the coral rubble area, some may be to about 10cm long. |
