Edgbaston Goby, Chlamydogobius squamigenus Larson 1995

Summary:

The brightly coloured breeding males are greyish-yellow to brown with bright blue and yellow bands on the first dorsal fin, and pale bluish margins on the other fins.
Edgbaston gobies can tolerate extreme variations in temperature (between 3-39°C) over short time periods.
Edgbaston gobies and Redfin Blue Eyes, Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis, in an artesian spring on Edgbaston Reserve.
Edgbaston gobies in an artesian bore drain at Ravenswood Station, Queensland.

Cite this page as:

Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2022, Chlamydogobius squamigenus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 18 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1328

Edgbaston Goby, Chlamydogobius squamigenus Larson 1995

More Info

Distribution	Known only from clay-bottomed pools fed by mound springs in Western Queensland, on Edgbaston Station, a few artesian bores and drains on Crossmoor Station, and recently found in a man-made artesian bore drain 40 kilometres away at the Ravenswood Station at Aramac. The pools and drains are very shallow and vegetated with emergent grassy tussocks. The gobies shelter around emergent vegetation during the day, and have been seen foraging away from cover at night.
Features	Dorsal fin V-VII; I, 6-8; Anal fin I, 5-7; Caudal fin (segmented rays) 15-18 (branched rays) 14-17; Pectoral fin 12-14; V I, 5; horizontal scale rows 14-17; Gill rakers 0-2 + 6-7 = 6-9; Vertebrae 10-11 + 17-18 = 28. Body somewhat rounded anteriorly, compressed posteriorly. Head short, somewhat rounded, length 2.2-3.3 in SL. Snout rounded, slightly flattened to steep. Anterior nostril in short tube on preorbital edge just behind upper lip, tube oriented down and forward, preorbital curved forward to accommodate nostril. Posterior nostril small, round, halfway between front edge of eye and preorbital. Eyes lateral, high on head, top usually part of dorsal profile, 2.2-3.2 in HL. Interorbital moderate to broad, flat; top of head, from rear of interorbital space up to snout tip, with very fine, usually widely scattered villi. Lips usually smooth, lower lip free at sides, fused across front. Mouth subterminal, slightly oblique, generally reaching to below front half of eye or to front margin of eye, slightly further in large males; teeth of upper jaw in about 4 rows, outermost larger than others, slender and slightly curved, others small; teeth of lower jaw in about 4 rows; tips of teeth sometimes slightly tinted translucent honey brown; teeth similar in males and females; tongue usually blunt or rounded. Gill opening restricted to pectoral base; inner edge of shoulder girdle smooth. Body scales mostly cycloid, with small patch of ctenoid scales behind pectoral fin; weakly ctenoid scales scattered along mid-line of caudal peduncle or sometimes further, forward to mid-body, at most; predorsal scales evenly small, cycloid, usually reaching past preopercular margin, sometimes to behind eyes, 15-22 in front of dorsal; operculum with patch of small cycloid scales on upper third to half; cheek with at least 1-2 cycloid scales below eye or on rear part of preopercle, usually a distinct patch; pectoral fin base covered with cycloid scales; prepelvic area covered with small cycloid scales; isolated area of ctenoid scales covered by pelvic fins, rest cycloid. Lateral line absent; lateral scale series 33-45. Head pores absent. Two dorsal fins, first low, rounded, falling short of second dorsal when depressed; second dorsal and anal fins low, with short bases, last rays falling short of caudal fin when depressed. Pectoral fin rounded. Pelvic fins united into complete disc, small, rounded to oval, occasionally reaching half distance to anus. Caudal fin rectangular to rounded.
Size	To around 4.8 cm SL, 6 cm TL
Colour	Overall dull yellowish-white to greyish-white with brownish-grey or grey scale margins, and diffuse narrow blotches and spots dorsally, plain below; scales outlined with grey or brownish grey, variably forming indistinct bars, blotches and crosshatching, 6 faint blotches or short bars across dorsal midline; lateral midline with faint row of dark spots, only spot at mid-base of caudal fin defined; pectoral base mostly pale, dusky patch across upper part. Dorsal surface of head and nape often with short, diffuse grey vermiculate lines and spots; a broad diffuse brownish bar from front of eye to upper lip; a second mark along lower edge of eye curving to behind rictus. First dorsal fin usually translucent to pale grey with narrow dusky to blackish margin, and blackish streak across middle to upper half of fin, becoming black blotch posteriorly; second dorsal and anal fin whitish; second dorsal sometimes with vertical dusky blotches forming band below margin; other blotches scattered irregularly on proximal half of fin. Caudal fin translucent to whitish, with many rows of small vertical dark to diffuse grey spots; margin clear or white. Pectoral fin translucent whitish, rays dusky proximally. Pelvic fins whitish. Mature males are dusky greyish-yellow; head whitish-yellow below; peritoneum, through body wall, silvery white; indistinct narrow grey bars and mottling across upper half of body. Head plain greyish-yellow; lips grey to whitish grey; iris pale gold. Dorsal fin blackish with narrow chrome yellow submarginal band; broad blue stripe across centre of fin; lower third of fin blackish; second dorsal and anal fins blackish with broad bright greyish blue margin; second dorsal fin with diffuse greyish blue stripe on proximal half of fin. Caudal fin dark grey with narrow dull whitish grey margin and faint vertical rows of yellowish to light grey spots.
Feeding	An omnivore, like other species of Chlamydogobius - feed mostly on algae, small aquatic invertebrates and insects.
Biology	Oviparous, benthic spawners. Juveniles are found year-round, although they are less common during winter months. Individuals mature in 3-4 months, and live about one year, Males are territorial, guarding a small area - usually in a small hole or cave, or beneath a rock - and attract females with flashy colour displays. Spawning occurs at night when temperatures exceed 20 deg C, usually lasts for one hour. Females lay 40-100 eggs, and the eggs are aggressively guarded and fanned by the male until the larvae hatch at 5-6 mm after a week to 10 days. The young mature in 3-6 months.
Conservation	IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: EPBC Act: Vulnerable NCA Qld: Endangered The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN due to cattle trampling and polluting the habitat, and the threat from Eastern Gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) which are in some springs at Edgbaston. The Edgbaston Goby is ranked as a critical priority under the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Back on Track species prioritisation framework (http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/prioritisation-framework/index.html ).
Similar Species	All other species in the genus Chlamydogobius lack scales on the preopercle (part of the gill cover).
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin squama (= scale) and gena (= cheek), in reference to the cycloid scales on the preopercle.
Species Citation	Chlamydogobius squamigenus Larson, 1995, The Beagle 12: 42, figs 3–4, 13–14. Type locality: spring NE of Edgbaston Station Homestead, Queensland.
Author	Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2022
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Edgbaston Goby, Chlamydogobius squamigenus Larson 1995

References

Allen, G.R., Midgley, S.H. & Allen, M. 2002. Field Guide to the Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 394 pp.

Faulks, L.K., Kerezsy, A., Unmack, P.J., Johnson, J.B. & Hughes, J.M. 2017. Going, going, gone? Loss of genetic diversity in two critically endangered Australian freshwater fishes, Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis and Chlamydogobius squamigenus, from Great Artesian Basin springs at Edgbaston, Queensland, Australia. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 27: 39-50. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2684

Fensham R.J, Ponder, W.F. & Fairfax, R.J. 2010. Recovery plan for the community of native species dependent on natural discharge of groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin. Report to Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management, Brisbane.

Kerezsy, A. 2009. Gambusia control in spring wetlands. Final report, South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board. 46 pp.

Kerezsy, A., Kern, P. & Wager, R. 2019. Chlamydogobius squamigenus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T4699A129047583. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T4699A129047583.en. Accessed on 06 June 2022.

Larson, H.K. 1995. A review of the Australian endemic gobiid fish genus Chlamydogobius with descriptions of five new species. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 12: 19–51.

Larson, H.K. 2001. A revision of the gobiid fish genus Mugilogobius (Teleostei: Gobioidei), and its systematic placement. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 62: 1-233.

Unmack, P.J. 2001. Biogeography of Australian freshwater fishes. Journal of Biogeography 28: 1053-1089

Wager, R., 1995. Elizabeth Springs goby and Edgbaston Goby: Distribution and Status. Final Report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.

Wager, R., 1996. Recovery Plan for Edgbaston Springs and Elizabeth Springs in Central Western Queensland (Updating and revising the Recovery Plan for Queensland Artesian Spring Fishes by Rob Wager 1995). Report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra, 55pp.

Wager, R. 1996. Chlamydogobius squamigenus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1996: e.T4699A11088784. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T4699A11088784.en. Downloaded on 01 May 2019.