photo : J.E. Randall Relevant synonyms None Misidentification None Meristic formula D1, VI; D2, I+10; A, I + 9; P, 16-17

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body moderately elongated, its depth 4.7-5.5 times in SL. Large head with blunt snout. Jaws reach back slightly behind the eye. Conical teeth in several rows with slender teeth in the outer row. Two dorsal fins, the first with shorter base than second dorsal fin. The rays of second dorsal fin longer than the spines in the first dorsal fin. Anal fin below second dorsal fin. Caudal fin round. Pectoral fin round. Pelvic fins united forming a sucking disk. color : Body light olive-green to grey with 8-9 diagonal light blue bands. Red to black spots surrounded by light blue rings on the head and the anterior part of the body. size : 7-10 cm (max 13 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Other gobies - different color pattern. Other Mediterranean spp. – lack sucking disk made from the pelvic fins. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Live in symbiotic association with shrimps. In the Mediterranean were observed living in colonies, at depths of 1-10 m between the burrows. habitat : In the Mediterranean on soft bottom at depths of 20-30 m. In the Red Sea they inhabit depth of 0.5-10 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Israel (2015) (Rothman and Goren 2015). DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Endemic to the Red Sea.. Mediterranean : Israel. ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Large colonies observed in Israel MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None.

KEY REFERENCES Goren, M. 1979. The Gobiinae of the Red Sea (Pisces: Gobiidae). Senckenbergiana biologica 60 (1-2), 13-64. Rothman, S.B.S. and Goren M. 2015. First record of the Red Sea shrimp-goby Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Biodiversity Records 8, e157 FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: January 2017 ©ciesm 2002