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Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Gobiidae > mudskippers
Gold-spotted mudskipper
Periophthalmus chrysospilos

Family Gobiidae
updated Sep 2020

Where seen? This orange spotted fish is the most commonly seen mudskipper on many of our shores. On all kinds of shores including rocky shores, sandy areas near mangroves and seagrasses, as well as on coral rubble areas near reefs.

Features: 6-12cm. Gaily speckled with orange-yellow spots on 'cheeks' and the sides of the body. Often with many dark bars along the body too. The male raises his bright orange-and-black dorsal fin to court females and intimidate rival males. Unlike females, males have elongated spikes on the first and second spine of his colourful first dorsal fin.

Male has elongated first and second spines
on the first dorsal fin.
Chek Jawa, Jan 10

Lazarus Island, Feb 11
Burrow wars: It digs a burrow on soft mud flats, spitting out balls of mud as it digs out the hole. One mudskipper was seen to spit out mud missiles at an intruder!

Spitting out mudballs as it digs a burrow.
Chek Jawa, Jan 10
Photo shared by James Koh on his flickr.

Sometimes seen moving in a group.
Pulau Semakau, Dec 04
Schools of skippers: This mudskipper is sometimes seen in small groups, moving around together along the tide line. Sometimes they move in a line, following what seems to be the leader.

What does it eat? It eats small crabs, prawns and insects. One was seen eating a tubeworm.

Mudskipper eating a tubeworm.
Chek Jawa, Jun 11
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on his blog.

   

Gold-spotted mudskippers on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Changi Loyang, Jun 23
Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook.


Pasir Ris Park, Jul 17
Photo shared by Abel Yeo on facebook.


East Coast Park, Feb 16
Photo shared by Jonathan Tan on facebook.


Berlayar Creek, Mar 16
Photo shared by Marcus Ng on flickr.


Tanah Merah, Jun 09
Photo shared by James Koh on his flickr.

Pulau Sudong, Dec 09
Photo shared by Toh Chay Hoon on her flickr.

spitting mudskipper from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.


retreating mudskippers @ Chek Jawa 23July2011 from SgBeachBum on Vimeo.


Links
Other references
  • Larson, Helen K and Kelvin K. P. Lim. 2005. A Guide to Gobies of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre. 164pp.
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