Relevant synonyms None Misidentification Oxyurichthys papuensis Meristic formula D1, VI; D2, I + 13; P, 21-23; V, I+5; LL, 65-75; GR, 9  photo : David Darom

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body elongated and compressed. Two dorsal fins. First dorsal spine the longest, the rest decreasing in size. Last dorsal spine connected by small membrane to origin of second dorsal. Caudal fin lanceolate. Pectoral fin rounded to slightly pointed. Pelvic fins united, forming a complete sucking disk, originating under pectoral fin base. Head broad, median predorsal ridge. Eye dorsally in position extending above profile contour. Jaws oblique, extending back reaching almost to vertical of posterior edge of eye. Upper jaw with a single row of caniniform, curved teeth which are exposed when mouth closed. In lower jaw two rows of smaller caniniform teeth. A distinct cirrus-like flap on the upper edge of eye. Scales are cycloid and weakly ctenoid. 4-5 transverse rows of papillae under the eye (suborbital) resembling small dots. color : back greenish grey with pale belly. A series of 4-5 dark blotches on the sides and a black spot on caudal fin base. The flap on the upper edge of eye is bright orange. size : common 7-12 cm (max. 15 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Other species of Gobiidae: none with lanceolate caudal fin, cirrus on the eye and predorsal ridge. Blennidae, Tripterygidae, Clinidae and Callionymidae: two separate pelvic fins. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Feeds on small benthic invertebrates. Spawning season in the summer and fall. habitat : benthic, sandy or muddy substrate to depths of 70 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Ashdod, Israel, 1983. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Red Sea endemic. Mediterranean : recorded first in Ashdod, Israel, in trawl, as Oxyurichthys papuensis (Ben-Tuvia, 1983) ; successively recorded in Syria (Saad and Sbaihi, 1992) and Mersin, Turkey (Kaya et al., 1992). Tunisia and Gokova Bay, Turkey. ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very common in the Eastern Basin. speculated reasons for success : unknown. MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS Caught in large quantities in trawl. Non-commercial. This species experienced a population explosion almost immediately after invasion.

KEY REFERENCES Ben-Tuvia A., 1983. An Indo-Pacific goby Oxyurichthys papuensis (Valenciennes, 1837) in the eastern Mediterranean. Israel Journal of Zoology, 20: 1-39. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: January 2009 ©ciesm 2002