Bella Goby, Valenciennea bella Hoese & Larson 1994
A Bella Goby, Valenciennea bella, from Flinders Shoal, Northern Territory, depth 42 m. Source: Fenton Walsh / Cairns Marine. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A pinkish to greyish-pink goby with a yellowish snout, 2-3 blue stripes across the cheek, elongate yellow filaments on the first dorsal fin, and a black throat and mouth in males.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Valenciennea bella in Fishes of Australia, accessed 16 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5473
Bella Goby, Valenciennea bella Hoese & Larson 1994
More Info
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Distribution |
Flinders Shoal, Timor Sea, Northern Territory, depth 42 m. Elsewhere the species is known from Indonesia (Komodo & West Papua), the Philippines, east to the Solomon Islands and Fiji, and north to the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Individuals or pairs inhabit mixed rubble and sandy areas on coastal reefs at depths to 42 m. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin VI + I, 14-15; Anal fin I, 14-15; Pectoral fin 19-21; Longitudinal scale series 76-81. Body depth 4.7-5.1 in SL; second to fourth dorsal-fin spines produced into prolonged filaments in adult; caudal fin rhomboid, length 2.8-3.4 in SL. Body scales ctenoid body scales except cycloid on abdomen; scales absent from head and midline of nape, cycloid scales extending forward on side of nape to above middle of operculum in adult; scaled pectoral fin base and prepelvic area scaled. |
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Colour |
Body pale grey with yellowish snout, 2-3 blue stripes on cheek; dorsal fin with yellow filaments; adult male with black throat and mouth. |
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Feeding |
Feeds by sifting small invertebrates such as copepods from the sand. |
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Biology |
Forms monogamous pairs. |
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Species Citation |
Valenciennea bella Hoese & Larson 1994, Indo-Pacific Fishes 23: 15, Pl. 1B. Type locality: Sesoko Island, Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan, depth 28 m. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2018 |
Bella Goby, Valenciennea bella Hoese & Larson 1994
References
Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.
Hoese, D.F. & Larson, H.K. 1994. Revision of the Indo-Pacific gobiid fish genus Valenciennea, with descriptions of seven new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 23: 1-71, Pls. 1-6.
Larson, H.K. & Murdy, E.O. 2001. Eleotridae, Gobiidae. pp. 3574-3604 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218.
Shiobara, Y. 1995. Reproductive behavior, development of eggs and larvae of the gobiid fish, Valenciennea bella, reared in the aquarium. J. Fac. Mar. Sci. Technol., Tokai Univ. 39: 207-220
