GOBIIDAE


Amblygobius hectori
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Amblygobius hectori
(Smith, 1957)
Hector's Goby

D VI + I, 15; A I, 14-15; P1 16-17; LR 54-57; PDS 20-23.

Body moderately elongate and compressed. Head slightly compressed; snout relatively pointed, protruding anteriorly beyond jaws; gill opening not extending anteriorly to a vertical line through posterior margin of preopercle; tongue truncate. Anterior spines of first dorsal fin greatly elongate, forming falcate appearance; pelvic fins united medially; frenum absent. Scales on body ctenoid posteriorly, cycloid anteriorly; head naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; a series of short transverse rows of sensory papillae below eye; a pair of short longitudinal sensory-papillae rows just behind chin. Color: head and body dark grayish brown, with three thin longitudinal yellow or pale yellow lines on side, as well as a similar colored middorsal line from snout tip to origin of dorsal-fin origin; three yellow-edged black spots on anterior part of first dorsal fin, posterior part of second dorsal-fin base, and dorsal part of caudal-fin base; arch-like white line just behind caudal-fin base. Size: 4.0 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-Pacific. Remarks: found around large corals or rubble bottom in coral reefs; usually found solitary, and slowly swims shortly above substratum.