Misplaced Pages

Loach goby

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Species of fish This article is about the particular species known as the 'loach goby'. For the family collectively known as the 'loach gobies', see Rhyacichthyidae.

Loach goby
Conservation status

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Rhyacichthyidae
Genus: Rhyacichthys
Species: R. aspro
Binomial name
Rhyacichthys aspro
(Valenciennes, 1837)
Synonyms

Platyptera aspro Valenciennes, 1837

The loach goby, Rhyacichthys aspro, is a goby belonging to the family Rhyacichthyidae. It is not fished commercially.

Taxonomy

The loach goby is one of the two species classified under the genus Rhyacichthys in the family Rhyacichthyidae.

Thacker and Hardman's study of the molecular phylogeny of gobies indicates the loach goby is the most primitive member of the Gobioidei.

Description

The loach goby is 25–32 centimetres (9.8–12.6 in) long. It has eight dorsal spines, eight or 9 soft dorsal rays, one anal spine, and eight or 9 anal rays. The head is flattened vertically, with a snout and small eyes. The mouth is on the underside and has a fleshy upper lip. The body is laterally compressed toward the slightly forked tail; it has a well-developed lateral line system. The pelvic fins are separate, with enlarged musculature. In colour, it is light brown, with darker, longitudinal stripes on its flanks. Also, dark stripes occur on the dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins.

Distribution and habitat

The loach goby lives in tropical waters between 24°N and 13°S, ranging from China and south Japan, through the Philippines and Indonesia, to New Guinea and the Solomons. It inhabits fast-flowing streams in mountainous terrain.

Habits

The loach goby normally clings to rocks in fast-flowing streams, using the rocks as hiding places when threatened. It makes swift darting movements. It eats the algae growing on the rock surfaces.

References

  1. ^ Larson, H. (2012). "Rhyacichthys aspro". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T196434A2457094. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T196434A2457094.en.
  2. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Rhyacichthys aspro". FishBase. February 2018 version.
  3. Thacker, Christine E.; Hardman, Michael A. (December 2005). "Molecular phylogeny of basal gobioid fishes: Rhyacichthyidae, Odontobutidae, Xenisthmidae, Eleotridae (Teleostei: Perciformes: Gobioidei)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 37 (3): 858–871. Bibcode:2005MolPE..37..858T. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.004. PMID 15975831.

External links

Taxon identifiers
Rhyacichthys aspro
Categories: