The frillfin goby (Bathygobius soporator) is a species of marine fish in the genus Bathygobius.[2]
| Frillfin goby | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gobiiformes |
| Family: | Gobiidae |
| Genus: | Bathygobius |
| Species: | B. soporator
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| Binomial name | |
| Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837)
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| Synonyms | |
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Description
editThe frillfin goby is a usually dark colored goby with mottled coloring of black, gray, and tan, but body color is variable between habitats. It has a thin, gray-green first dorsal fin and a trailing second dorsal fin of the same color. Its brown eyes are proportionally large. Its cheeks are large. The caudal, anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins are a transparent yellow. The pelvic fins of the frillfin goby has one spine and five rays that are close together.[3]
Intelligence
editThe frillfin goby is capable of cognitive mapping: it can create a mental map of the typography of the intertidal zones around. This allows the fish to leap to a neighbouring pool without the risk of falling on the dry rock "doomed to die in the sun". We believed that such capacity of intelligence was exclusive to humans until discovered in rats in the late 1940s.[4]
Diet
editThe frillfin goby feeds on small crustaceans, like copepods, and small fishes like the tilapia fry. The frillfin can also feed on insects, detritus, bivalves, and gastropods.[1]
Habitat
editIndividuals are often found in tide pools, around mangrove trees, or in sheltered seagrass beds.[3] The Frillfin goby can be found in marine, brackish, and even freshwater, and it can tolerate a wide range of salinities.[1]
Reproduction and lifecycle
editThe female goby lays her fertilized eggs on a hard, sheltered surface, such as the inside of an empty conch shell. The male can mate with several females, and each mate lays her eggs in a single location. The cluster is then protected by the male until the eggs hatch. These males are often extremely territorial, and chase off intruders. The young gobies can grow to an average of about 7.5 cm in length.[3]
Distribution
editThis species is found in the Gulf of Mexico. It prefers inshore shallows especially near rocks and pilings.
Importance to humans
editAlthough rare, the frillfin goby has been seen in the aquarium trade.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d van Tassell, J.; Tornabene, L.; Pezold, F.; Aiken, K.A.; Bouchereau, J.-L. (2019). "Bathygobius soporator". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T183177A82646497. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T183177A82646497.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Bathygobius soporator (Valenciennes, 1837)".
- ^ a b c "Bathygobius soporator". www.sms.si.edu. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
- ^ What a fish knows: the inner life of our underwater cousins by Jonathan Balcombe. 2017. pp. 106–107.
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