Sculptured Goby, Callogobius mucosus (Günther 1872)

A Sculptured Goby, Callogobius mucosus, at the Williamstown Rotunda, Hobsons Bay, Port Phillip, Victoria, April 2011. Source: Sarah Speight / Flickr. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:

Overall dark brown, with a reticulated pattern of pale spots surrounded by brown lines and several broad saddles or bands across top of body; a pale stripe from eye to rear of jaws.

The Sculptured Goby has several prominent raised papillae flaps on the head, giving the head a sculptured appearance. The transverse papillae flap behind each eye is long, its length about twice the distance between the flaps.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2020, Callogobius mucosus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 26 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/90

Sculptured Goby, Callogobius mucosus (Günther 1872)

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to temperate waters of southern Australia from about Port Stephens, New South Wales, to the Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, including around Tasmania. Inhabits soft bottoms areas, often sheltering under rocks during the day near sheltered coastal reefs, in depths to 30 m.
Features	Dorsal fin VI, I, 10-12; Anal fin I, 8-9; Caudal fin (segmented rays) 17; Pectoral fin 15-18; Pelvic fin I, 5. Body slender, head depressed with several distinctive raised skin flaps giving a sculptured appearance; eyes close together; mouth small, jaws ending in front of eye.
Size	To 11 cm.
Colour	Overall dark brown, with a reticulated pattern of pale spots surrounded by brown lines and several broad saddles or bands across top of body; a pale stripe from eye to rear of jaws.
Similar Species	The similar Flathead Goby, Callogobius depressus, differs from the Sculptured Goby in having a short transverse paillae flap behind each eye, its length about equal to the distance between the flaps (vs. a long transverse papillae flap behind each eye, its length about twice the distance between the flaps), scales absent from the operculum (vs. each operculum with a few embedded scales dorsally), and the area before the pelvic fins with few or no scales (vs. the area before the pelvic fins heavily scaled).
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin mucosus (= slimy, covered in mucus) in reference to the “thick mucous covering, which envelopes all parts and forms on the snout and sides of the head.”
Species Citation	Gobius mucosus Günther 1872, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1871(3): 663, pl. 63(A). Type locality: Adelaide, South Australia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2020
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Sculptured Goby, Callogobius mucosus (Günther 1872)

References

Günther, A. 1872. Report on several collections of fishes recently obtained for the British Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1871(3): 652-675 pls 53-70 See ref at BHL

Hoese, D.F. & Larson, H.K. 1994. Family Gobiidae. pp. 781-810, figs 690-714 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.

Hoese, D.F. & Larson, H.K. 2008. Family Gobiidae. pp. 749-773 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast.Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Hoschke, A., Whisson, G. & Moore, G.I. 2019. Complete list of fishes from Rottnest Island, pp. 150-161 in Whisson, G. & Hoschke, A. (eds) The Rottnest Island fish book. 2nd ed. Perth: Aqua Research and Monitoring Services.

Hutchins, J.B. 1997. Checklist of fishes of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. pp. 239-253 in Wells, F. (ed.) The Marine Fauna and Flora of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum.

Hutchins, J.B. & Thompson, M. 1983. The Marine and Estuarine Fishes of South-western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 103 pp. 345 figs.

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

Kuiter, R. & Kuiter, S. 2018. Coastal sea-fishes of south-eastern Australia. Seaford, Victoria : Aquatic Photographics, 371 pp.

Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.

McCulloch, A.R. & Ogilby, J.D. 1919. Some Australian fishes of the family Gobiidae. Records of the Australian Museum 12(10): 193-291 figs 31-37 DOI: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.12.1919.886

Whitley, G.P. 1928. Studies in Ichthyology. No. 2. Records of the Australian Museum 16(4): 211-239 figs 1-2 pls 16-18 DOI:10.3853/j.0067-1975.16.1928.786 (as Gunnamatta insolita)

Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 (as Mucogobius gobiosoma)