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.
Sexual differentiation is the process of development of the sex differences between males and females from an undifferentiated zygote. Sex determination is often distinct from sex differentiation; sex determination is the designation for the development stage towards either male or female, while sex differentiation is the pathway towards the development of the phenotype.
Sequential hermaphroditism is one of the two types of hermaphroditism, the other type being simultaneous hermaphroditism. It occurs when the organism's sex changes at some point in its life. A sequential hermaphrodite produces eggs and sperm at different stages in life. Sequential hermaphroditism occurs in many fish, gastropods, and plants. Species that can undergo these changes do so as a normal event within their reproductive cycle, usually cued by either social structure or the achievement of a certain age or size. In some species of fish, sequential hermaphroditism is much more common than simultaneous hermaphroditism.
Thalassoma bifasciatum, the bluehead, bluehead wrasse or blue-headed wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is native to the coral reefs of the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Individuals are small and rarely live longer than two years. They form large schools over the reef and are important cleaner fish in the reefs they inhabit.
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.
Genicanthus watanabei, the blackedged angelfish or Watanabe’s angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Pacific Ocean.
The resplendent pygmy angelfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish, belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is endemic to Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean.
The Hawaiian grouper, also known as the Hawaiian black grouper, Seale's grouper or Hapuʻupuʻu, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is endemic to Hawaii.
Sicyopterus stimpsoni, commonly known as the Nopili rockclimbing goby, oopu nopili, or Stimpson's goby, is a species of amphidromous goby endemic to the islands of Hawai‘i. This species can reach a length of 19.8 centimetres (7.8 in) SL.
Mugilogobius sarasinorum, Sarasin's goby, is a species of goby endemic to Lake Poso in Sulawesi, Indonesia. This species can reach a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in) TL. Sarasin's goby is important to local commercial fisheries and the fishing community.
Elacatinus is a genus of small marine gobies, often known collectively as the neon gobies. Although only one species, E. oceanops, is technically the "neon goby", because of their similar appearance, other members of the genus are generally labeled neon gobies, as well. Except for a single East Pacific species, all reside in warmer parts of the West Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. They are known for engaging in symbiosis with other marine creatures by providing them cleaning service that consists of getting rid of ectoparasites on their bodies. In return, Elacatinus species obtain their primary source of food, ectoparasites.
A hermaphrodite is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic.
Pomacanthus asfur, the Arabian angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Western Indian Ocean.
Genicanthus bellus, the ornate angelfish, bellus angelfish or bellus lyretail angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Genicanthus semifasciatus, the Japanese swallow, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish, belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Western Pacific.
Rhinogobiops is a genus of true gobies in the family Gobiidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, Rhinogobiops nicholsii, also known as the blackeye goby, bluespot goby, and crested goby. They are common inhabitants of coral reefs and rocky habitats along the eastern Pacific Ocean coasts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada, although they are hardly noticed, as they often rest motionless near their shelters.
Lythrypnus is a genus of gobies native to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the Americas including Cocos Island and the Galapagos Islands. Lythrypnus is a hermaphroditic fish that is able to change sex. Depending on its size and shape, Lythrypnus Dalli is able to have both male and female reproductive function.
Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis, the blue-striped angelfish and bluelined angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. it is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Colette Marie St. Mary is a professor and associate chair of the biology department at the University of Florida. Her research focuses include behavioral and evolutionary ecology, speciation, sexual selection, and evolutionary aspects of cancer. Working mainly with fish model organisms, St. Mary is also interested in marine fisheries management and reproduction and evolution in hatchery settings. St. Mary received her Bachelor's degree in Biology from Harvard Radcliffe College before earning her Ph.D from University of California, Santa Barbara in 1994. She is the first African-American woman to ever receive a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology in the United States. Her thesis was on the determinant of sex allocation patterns and maintenance of simultaneous hermaphroditism in the blue banded goby and zebra goby.
The halfbanded angelfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
