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Trees- ShrubsStriped Goby ( Gobius vittatus )
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Gobius vittatus is a very small sized fish, 2-5cm in length, with a maximum length of 6cm (1; 2; 3). The body-form is elongate and the mouth is oblique with fleshy lips (1). The anterior nostril has a narrow tentacle (2); the operculum is without spines or any serration (1; 2).
G. vittatus has two dorsal fins close to each other, the first has a small base (1) and 6 spines, the second dorsal fin has one spine and 12-14 soft rays (1; 2). The anal fin has one spine and 11-13 soft rays (1); the pelvic fins join to become an emarginated disc (1; 2). The scales are relatively large ctenoids and cycloids (1); there is no lateral line, instead, a lateral series exists with 32-36 scales (1; 2). The nape is scaled, although the cheeks are naked (2).
Striped goby has off white colouration (2); brown-black longitudinal stripe run from the snout, through the eye, to the caudal fin base (1; 2). The caudal fin has a slightly concave rear edge (2).
G. vittatus are solitary (3).
The Striped goby inhabits gravel or hard substrates (1; 2; 4); usually found in depths of 15-85m (1; 5).
No data (2).
The Striped goby is endemic to the Mediterranean (1).
G. vittatus is omnivorous, feeding mainly on benthic and planktonic invertebrates, crustaceans, polychaetes, and sometimes, algae (1; 2, 3; 4).
Not evaluated under the IUCN Redlist (6).
Description written by Ben Harvey (2009)
(1) Golani, S., Özturk, B. and Başusta, N. 2006. Fishes of the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Istanbul, Turkey. 259pp.
(2) Vinciguerra, D. 1883. Resultati ittiologici delle crociere del ‘Violante’. Annali Mus. civ. Stor. nat. Genova, 18: 465-590, 3 pl.
(3) Baensch, H.A. and H. Debelius. 1997. Marine atlas. 3rd Ed. Melle:Mergus Verlag GmbH. 1216p.
(4) Miller, P.J. 1986. Gobiidae. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Volume 3. Paris:UNESCO
(5) Miller, P.J. 1979. Gobiidae. Check-list of the fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and of the Mediterranean (CLOFNAM). Volume 1. Paris:UNESCO.
(6) IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 27 July 2009.
