Concave Flathead Goby, Glossogobius concavifrons (Ramsay & Ogilby 1886)

Other Names: Concave Goby

Summary:

A mottled brown to tan goby becoming paler on the sides and below, with 7-8 indistinct dark brown blotches on the midside, dark scale edges forming a network pattern, plain anal and pelvic fins, a distinctive large black spot posteriorly in the first dorsal fin, and the caudal fin mottled with dark spots.

Cite this page as:

Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2016, Glossogobius concavifrons in Fishes of Australia, accessed 23 Jan 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/128

Concave Flathead Goby, Glossogobius concavifrons (Ramsay & Ogilby 1886)

More Info

Distribution	Cato River, Northern Territory, and western rivers of Cape York from the Jardine River to the Wenlock River, Queensland. Elsewhere the species occurs in New Guinea. Inhabits gravel or rocky bottoms in clear flowing freshwater streams.
Features	Dorsal fin VI + I, 10-12; Anal fin I, 8-9; Pectoral fin 16-18; Transverse scales 9-10; Gill rakers 10-11. Body elongate, compressed, height 6 in length. Head 3.1-3.4 in SL; with distinct ‘dished’ or concave profile just before eyes. Snout somewhat pointed, about as long as eye, tip just above lower edge of eye. Eye high on side of head, 12.5-14.2 in SL, interorbital less than 0.5 eye diameter. Mouth small, slightly oblique, lower jaw anteriormost, maxillary reaching to or not quite to below front edge of eye; outer row of teeth in upper jaw conical, large, stout, followed by 3 rows of smaller, depressible teeth; teeth in outer row on lower jaw similar to upper, followed by 2 rows of smaller depressible teeth; tongue bilobed; 5-6 longitudinal and two oblique papillae lines on cheek; mandibular frenum with distinct rear margin and very short lobe at each side. Lower end of gill-opening before lower tip of cleithrum; gill-membrane attached to isthmus. Scales ctenoid on body, cycloid on pectoral base, breast and opercle; head mainly scaleless except nape and uppermost part of gill cover; scales ctenoid up to opercle, cycloid anteriorly; predorsal scales 14-21; lateral line absent; longitudinal series 29-33; horizontal scale rows 10. Two dorsal fins, first low, triangular; second dorsal and anal fin lower than body. Caudal fin oblong, about as long as head, rounded. Ventral fins fully united into disc. Pectoral and ventral fin a little shorter than head.
Size	To around 12cm.
Colour	Mottled brown to tan dorsally, lighter on sides and whitish ventrally with 7-8 indistinct dark brown blotches on lateral midline. Body scales with dark edges forming a network pattern. Anal and pelvic fins plain. First dorsal fin with distinctive large black spot posteriorly. Caudal fin mottled with dark spots.
Feeding	Feeds mainly on insects and crustaceans particularly prawns.
Remarks	Observed variation indicates that more than one species may be going under this name.
Species Citation	Gobius concavifrons Ramsay, E.P. & Ogilby, J.D. (1886). A contribution to the knowledge of the fish fauna of New Guinea. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. (2)1(1): 8–20 [12]. Strickland River, New Guinea.
Author	Gomon, M.F. & Bray, D.J. 2016
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Concave Flathead Goby, Glossogobius concavifrons (Ramsay & Ogilby 1886)

References

Akihito, P. & Meguro, K. 1975. Description of a new gobiid fish, Glossogobius aureus, with notes on related species of the genus. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 22(3): 127-142 figs 1-3

Allen, G.R. 1989. Freshwater Fishes of Australia. Neptune, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp., 63 pls.

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

Koumans, F.P. 1935. Notes on gobioid fishes 6. On the synonymy of some species from the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Zoologische Mededelingen (Leiden) 18: 121-150 figs 1-15

Larson, H.K., Williams, R.S. & Hammer, M.P. 2013. An annotated checklist of the fishes of the Northern Territory, Australia. Zootaxa 3696(1): 1-293

Ramsay, E.P. & Ogilby, J.D. 1886. A contribution to the knowledge of the fish fauna of New Guinea. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2 1(1): 8-20

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