Goby Id Help

[graceofathena]

I run the display and teaching aquariums at the university I attend and have come across an interesting saltwater ?goby? that I can't seem to identify. The head and pectoral fins are distinctly goby, but the body is long and eelike. Its movements are anguilliform as well. It is about 12-14 inches in length, body depth is about 1-1.5 in. and color is a solid dark black with squiggly pale yellow lines throughout. The lines are relatively thin and form no particular pattern, much like an eastern kingsnake. I've been told it might be an engineer goby, but upon investigating, it is nothing like it. He is a burrower, and I rarely see him as he is usually in the area he has excavated under a large rock. Any ideas are welcome, I'd just like to get an ID on it soon.

Thanks

 

[Lynden]

12-14'' is very large for a goby; in fact I honestly can only come up with a handful of species that will get that big.

Check the ventral fins. If they are fused to form a suckerlike disc, you probably have yourself a true goby; if they do not, the fish is a false.

Are you sure it is not an Engineer "Goby"? Your description almost perfectly matches that of an adult Pholidichthys. Can you get a photo of the fish?

Above are adult Pholidichthys.

-Lynden

 

[graceofathena]

Thats exactly it! Every other picture I've seen of an engineer goby has a smaller fish with a single, thick ventral line though. are there other synonyms for it?

 

[Lynden]

The juveniles do not look like the adults at all; they mimic a species of Coral Catfish. Synonyms include Engineer "Blenny".