GOBIIDAE


Ctenogobiops pomastictus, 3.6 cm SL
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Ctenogobiops pomastictus
Lubbock and Polunin, 1977
Gold-specked Prawn-goby

D VI+I, 11; A I, 11; P1 18-20; LR 48-64; PDS 0.

Body elongate, compressed. Head slightly compressed; jaws extending posteriorly to a vertical through middle of eye; gill opening extending beyond a vertical through posterior margin of preopercle (but not reaching to a vertical through posterior margin of eye). No elongate dorsal-fin spines. Pelvic fins united medially; frenum present. Scales ctenoid posteriorly, cycloid anteriorly; head, breast and pectoral-fin base naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; reduced longitudinal pattern of sensory papillae on cheek; a pair of sensory papillae just behind chin. Color: ca 4 irregular horizontal rows of dark brown vague blotches on body (blotches on mid-lateral series of body larger than those on other rows); two parallel oblique rows of brown vague blotches on cheek; pectoral fin with a bright white spot basally. Size: 8.0 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-West Pacific. Remarks: found in protected bays with sandy or sandymud bottoms and dead-coral rubbles; symbiotically associated with alpheid shrimps.