Boleophthalmus boddarti | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Gobiiformes |
Family: | Oxudercidae |
Genus: | Boleophthalmus |
Species: | B. boddarti |
Binomial name | |
Boleophthalmus boddarti (Pallas, 1770) | |
Synonyms | |
Gobius boddarti |
Boleophthalmus boddarti, commonly known as Boddart's goggle-eyed goby, is a species of mudskipper native to the Indo-Pacific, and the type species of the genus Boleophthalmus . [2]
In Vietnam, this species is called "Cá Bống Sao", which means "star sky goby".
The specific epithet, boddarti, is in reference to Pierre Boddaërt, who collected the holotype for the species. [3] [4]
Like other mudskippers, Boleophthalmus boddarti is capable of moving on land, and uses its pectoral and pelvic fins to move about on the surface of tidal flats in its native range at low tide. The fish is boldly patterned, with rows of blue spots along its flanks and cheeks, as well as dark bands running down its body. [5]
B. boddarti has fused pelvic fins, as in its fin rays are interconnected and merged with its skin, which aid in its walking across the mudflats it lives in. Its large pelvic ray fin bone structure provides B. boddarti with a sitting pad for stability in semi-terrestrial substrate and cushion for landing after hopping. The pelvic fins can also flatten into a slightly concave shape when it makes impact to further cushion its landing. Similarly to other mudskippers, B. boddarti has moist skin with capillaries near the surface in dermal bulges that allow it to perform cutaneous respiration, although it has been observed to have less mucus-secreting cells than more terrestrial species of mudskipper such as Periophthalmus variabilis , on account of it living primarily in aquatic areas and thus having greater access to moisture. [6]
B. boddarti occurs across the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from India in the west to Papua New Guinea in the east, with additional populations found on the coastline of China in the north and Sulaibikhat Bay in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Kuwait. [2] [7] Populations in Malaysia and Sumatra are sympatric with the closely related species Boleophthalmus pectinirostris . [8] In India, the species is sympatric with the similarly-related Boleophthalmus dussumieri . [3]
Individuals of B. boddarti are noticeably territorial, and will fight with others of their species to defend their burrows at low tide, raising their dorsal fins as a threat display. Males will also use their tail to jump into the air with their dorsal fins raised as part of a courting ritual to attract females to their burrows during the breeding season. [5]
Boleophthalmus boddarti is primarily herbivorous, and browses on green algae by scraping it off the surface of the ground at low tide using horizontal motions of its head and the teeth of its lower jaw. [3] It also eats benthic crustaceans, polychaete worms, fish eggs and copepods. [1]
Male B. boddarti jump to attract females to spawn in their burrows. [3] A study in Trần Đề district, Sóc Trăng province, Vietnam, found that the sex ratio of B. boddarti distribution during spawning season is approximately 1:1 between males and females, similar to the goby species Pseudapocryptes elongatus and different from some other species of gobies in the region, in which females tend to have a higher catch rate than males. The study found that development of ovaries and testes in B. boddarti spans the four months from July to October. Mature gonads contain gametes multiple stages of development, suggesting B. boddarti spawns multiple broods of offspring over the span of three months, from August to October in the mid-wet season. B. boddarti have a median length at sexual maturity of 11.52 centimetres (4.54 in). Larger females release larger, more numerous eggs later in the spawning season as their bodies grow larger and heavier, and have high fecundity. B. boddarti in the Sóc Trăng study were found to release 9,800–33,000 eggs per female in the breeding season, but they have been observed to lay fewer eggs in more polluted environments, [9] such as a study that found that they laid 2,100–12,300 eggs in polluted creeks in Mumbai, India. [9] [10]
B. boddarti is edible, and is occasionally caught and eaten, though it isn't targeted by commercial fisheries. The species is sometimes found on sale at markets in the vicinity of its native range. [1] It is commercially important in Vietnam [9] and Thailand. [3]
B. boddarti was evaluated as being of Least Concern in 2021, as the species occupies a wide range without significant fragmentation. While a definitive population size for the species is unknown, B. boddarti is believed to be relatively abundant according to recent surveying. The main threat to this species in its native range is water pollution. [1]
Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored fish of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific. Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs, but a few, such as the oceanic triggerfish, are pelagic. While several species from this family are popular in the marine aquarium trade, they are often notoriously ill-tempered.
Teleostei, members of which are known as teleosts, is, by far, the largest infraclass in the class Actinopterygii, the ray-finned fishes, and contains 96% of all extant species of fish. Teleosts are arranged into about 40 orders and 448 families. Over 26,000 species have been described. Teleosts range from giant oarfish measuring 7.6 m (25 ft) or more, and ocean sunfish weighing over 2 t, to the minute male anglerfish Photocorynus spiniceps, just 6.2 mm (0.24 in) long. Including not only torpedo-shaped fish built for speed, teleosts can be flattened vertically or horizontally, be elongated cylinders or take specialised shapes as in anglerfish and seahorses.
Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm (3.9 in) in length, and the family includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, Trimmatom nanus are under 1 cm long when fully grown, then Pandaka pygmaea standard length are 9 mm (0.35 in), maximum known standard length are 11 mm (0.43 in). Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, but that is exceptional. Generally, they are benthic or bottom-dwellers. Although few are important as food fish for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for other commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass and flatfish. Several gobiids are also of interest as aquarium fish, such as the dartfish of the genus Ptereleotris. Phylogenetic relationships of gobiids have been studied using molecular data.
The round goby is a euryhaline bottom-dwelling species of fish of the family Gobiidae. It is native to Central Eurasia, including the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Round gobies have established large non-native populations in the Baltic Sea, several major Eurasian rivers, and the North American Great Lakes.
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Mudskippers are any of the 23 extant species of amphibious fish from the subfamily Oxudercinae of the goby family Oxudercidae. They are known for their unusual body shapes, preferences for semiaquatic habitats, limited terrestrial locomotion and jumping, and the ability to survive prolonged periods of time both in and out of water.
Eucyclogobius newberryi, the northern tidewater goby, is a species of goby native to lagoons of streams, marshes, and creeks along the coast of California, United States. The northern tidewater goby is one of six native goby species of California. It is protected under the Endangered Species Act as an endangered species of the United States since 1994.
The sheepshead minnow, also known as sheepshead pupfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinodontidae, the pupfishes. It is found in salt marsh and estuary environments and is native to the eastern coasts of North and Central America.
Hoplosternum littorale is a species of catfish belonging to the Callichthyinae subfamily of the family Callichthyidae. It is known as tamuatá in Brazil, atipa in French Guiana, hassa in Guyana, kwi kwi in Suriname, cascadu or cascadura in Trinidad and Tobago, and busco or currito in Venezuela.
The Gobiiformes are an order of fish that includes the gobies and their relatives. The order, which was previously considered a suborder of Perciformes, is made up of about 2,211 species that are divided between seven families. Phylogenetic relationships of the Gobiiformes have been elucidated using molecular data. Gobiiforms are primarily small species that live in marine water, but roughly 10% of these species inhabit fresh water. This order is composed chiefly of benthic or burrowing species; like many other benthic fishes, most gobiiforms do not have a gas bladder or any other means of controlling their buoyancy in water, so they must spend most of their time on or near the bottom. Gobiiformes means "goby-like".
The peacock gudgeon or peacock goby is a tropical freshwater species of fish in the family Eleotridae that is endemic to the eastern part of Papua New Guinea. It can be found in schools hovering over the substrate in rivers and ponds. This species can reach a length of 7.5 cm (3.0 in). It is currently the only known member of its genus.
Elacatinus puncticulatus is a species of goby from the eastern central Pacific Ocean, where it is found on reefs from the Gulf of California to Ecuador. This species occurs at depths ranging from 1 to 21m, and usually in association with the sea urchin Eucidaris thouarsii. The size of the goby varies depending on sex, with females being typically smaller than males, and their geographical location as well as their role as a cleaner goby also has impacts on their morphology. Due to their bright coloration and lack of aggression, the species is commonly found in the aquarium trade.
The swamp darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is endemic to the Eastern United States.
The Atlantic mudskipper is a species of mudskipper native to fresh, marine, and brackish waters of the tropical Atlantic coasts of Africa, including most offshore islands, through the Indian Ocean and into the western Pacific Ocean to Guam. The Greek scientific name Periophthalmus barbarus is named after the eyes that provide the Atlantic mudskipper with a wide field of vision. The Atlantic mudskipper is a member of the genus Periophthalmus, which includes oxudercine gobies that have one row of canine-like teeth.
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Acanthogobius flavimanus is a species of fish in the goby family known by the common name yellowfin goby. Other common names include mahaze, Japanese river goby, Oriental goby, and spotted goby. It is native to Asia, where its range includes China, Japan, Korea, parts of Russia, Vietnam, and Malaysia. It has spread beyond its native range to become an introduced, and often invasive, species. It has been recorded in Australia, Mexico, and Florida and California in the United States.
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