Sailfin Goby, Nesogobius pulchellus (Castelnau 1872)

Other Names: Castelnau's Goby

A male Sailfin Goby, Nesogobius pulchellus, at St Leonards, Port Phillip, Victoria. Source: Julian K. Finn / Museum Victoria. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:

A small sand-dwelling goby with the anterior part of the first dorsal fin dark and high, especially in males. Males also have a dark head and anal fin (unpigmented in females), and signal to others with their high dorsal fin. The second dorsal and anal fins begin with a spine.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2018, Nesogobius pulchellus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 03 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3069

Quick Facts

CAAB Code:37428007

Depth:0-20 m

Habitat:Sandy, seagrass areas

Max Size:6 cm

Native:Endemic

Species Image Gallery

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Distribution	Endemic to temperate waters of southern Australia, from Sydney, New South Wales, to Rockingham, Western Australia, including Tasmania. Inhabits sandy areas near seagrass beds and rocky reefs in bays and estuaries, at depths to 20 m.
Features	Dorsal fin spines/rays VII + I, 9-11; Anal fin spines/rays I, 9-11; Caudal fin rays 13 (segmented), 9-10 branched); Pectoral fin rays 16-20; Pelvic fin spines/rays I, 5; Gill rakers 0-1 + 5-9 = 6-9. Body relatively deep; first dorsal fin often higher than second dorsal fin, especially in males; second dorsal and anal fins beginning with a spine.
Size	To 6 cm.
Colour	Body relatively dark, greyish brown and mottled with reddish spots forming stripes on dorsal fin; a thin brown bar from eye to middle of jaw; midsides with 5-8 dark brown blotches; a thin broken silver stripe just below midsides; a wide v-shaped brown bar before tail; head and anal fin dark in males, fin clear in females; first dorsal fin black anteriorly.
Species Citation	Gobius pulchellus Castelnau, 1872, Proc. Zool. Acclim. Soc. Vict 1: 125. Type locality: Western Port, Victoria.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2018
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Sailfin Goby, Nesogobius pulchellus (Castelnau 1872)