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Two small sandy coloured
gobies of shallow sandy pools and estuaries:
Photograph by Andy Horton
Common Goby
Scientific Name:
Pomatoschistus microps
Family: Gobiidae
Usual Size: 64 mm
Identification:
Small goby (a family of
small fishes with a notorious reputation of being difficult to differentiate,
characterised by a pair of dorsal fins, and a pelvic fin fused into a weak
suction cup).
Sandy colour, but not so
long as the similar species Pomatoschistus minutus. In breeding
coloration the male fish has a dark blotch at the rear of the first dorsal
fin. Only experienced rockpoolers are likely to be able to separate these
species in the wild.
Similar Species:
Sand Goby, Pomatoschistus
minutus.
Breeding:
Spring. May lay eggs up
to five times under a shell. Male guards the eggs. Life span 12 - 15 months
only.
Habitat: Sandy shallows, intertidal with shallow sandy pools, estuaries in summer.
Food:
Small crustaceans like caprellids,
worms.
Range:
All British coasts.
Additional Notes:
Abundant.
Scientific Name:
Pomatoschistus minitus
Family: Gobiidae
Usual Size: 94 mm
Identification:
Small goby (a family of
small fishes with a notorious reputation of being difficult to differentiate,
characterised by a pair of dorsal fins, and a pelvic fin fused into a weak
suction cup).
Sandy colour but longer*
than the similar species Pomatoschistus microps. In breeding coloration
the male fish has an occelated spot at the rear of the first dorsal
fin. Only experienced rockpoolers are likely to be able to separate these
species in the wild.
*distance from the last second dorsal fin ray to the tail fin is proportionately greater than in P.microps.
Similar Species:
Common Goby, Pomatoschistus
microps.
Breeding:
Summer.
Habitat: Sandy shallows, intertidal with shallow sandy pools, estuaries in autumn.
Food:
Small crustaceans like caprellids,
worms.
Range:
All British coasts, North
Sea, Mediterranean.
Additional Notes:
Abundant.
Two medium sized gobies of large pools and under rocks
Small goby of the weedy pools
Photograph by Luke Richards (Isle of Wight)
Gobiusculus flavescens, Two-spotted Goby. Photographed with great difficulty at Tjärnö Aquarium by Mike Noren.
A photograph of a shoal of 2-Spot Gobies by Paul Parsons.
Small goby, abundant offshore and occasionally stranded in pools.
Two black spots can be seen
clearly on the transparent boby, one near the head and one near the tail
fin.
Other gobies that are rarely found:
31 January 1998: A Giant Goby, Gobius cobitus, was discovered by Jon Makeham at Hannafore Point, Looe, in southern Cornwall. It was found sheltering underneath a piece of Japweed, Sargassum muticum, on the middle shore. This large goby at 25 cm long, is at the northern edge of its range in the SW of Britain and is rarely found between the tides.
This goby is now a protected species (since 1998).
Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, Species Protection
Schedule
5
Protection
for wild animals on Schedule 5 of the Wildlife
and Countryside Act
Section
9
Part 1 intentional killing, injuring, taking
Part 2 possession or control (live or dead animal, part or derivative)
Part 4 (a) damage to, destruction of, obstruction of access to any structure
or place used by a scheduled animal for shelter or protection
Part 4 (b) disturbance of animal occupying such a structure or place
Part 5 (a) selling, offering for sale, possessing or transporting for the
purpose of sale (live or dead animal, part or derivative)
Part 5 (b) advertising for buying or selling such things
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19
April 2003
The
discovery of a Giant
Goby, Gobius cobitis, found in
a rockpool above the half tide mark at Les Ecrehous, Jersey, was a notable
discovery. This goby is a protected species
under the Wildlife
and Countryside Act Schedule 5. It has
always been known from the shores of Jersey but it is virtually unknown
on the northern English Channel coasts with occasional records from Cornwall
only. As it name indicates this goby is a 'giant' amongst the Gobiidae,
a family of small fishes. The Giant Goby attains lengths of up to 25 cm.
English
Nature & MBA articles on Giant Gobies
BMLSS
Gobies
14
March 2003
I have photographed a Giant
Goby at Pendennis Point, Falmouth, Cornwall.
Another
Image (Link)
Photograph by Trevor McDonald (Aberdeen)
This goby is common in some areas below low tide mark, and conceivably could be discovered betweeen the tides, but few reports of this fish from the shore have been received by the BMLSS. Jim Hall reports this fish on very low tides from Tenby, SW Wales. There are frequent reports from divers from NE Scotland to Devon, so the fish must be widespread below low water mark.
Pomatoschistus pictus Painted Goby. Note the two dark band on the dorsal fin. Size about 2.5cm. Photographed at Tjärnö Aquarium by Mike Noren.
This goby with a local distribution is so similar to Gobius niger that I cannot distinguish the species.
Crystal Goby Crystallogobius linearis
A photograph of this pelagic goby can be found on the following web site:
Lesuerigobius friesii have been reported living with the Scampi Prawn, Nephrops norvegicus, in the same burrows.
Differences
between Blennies & Gobies
British
Blennidae
BMLSS
Fish page
Dr
Peter Miller (Homepage)
Mediterranean
Gobies (including British species) by Robert Patzner
Gobies
and Blennies Photographic Portfolio
(Marine
Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Group)
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