PTERELEOTRIDAE


Nemateleotris magnifica
(photo by Surakit Visuttiwatthanakorn)


Nemateleotris magnifica
Fowler, 1928
Fire Goby

D VI + I, 28-32; A I, 26-30; P1 19-20; LR 110-130; PDS 0.

Body elongate, compressed. Head slightly compressed; jaws subequal; gill opening rather wide, extending anteriorly to a vertical line through posterior margin of preopercle. Anterior three spines of first dorsal fin greatly elongate, distinctly longer than posterior spines; pelvic fins separated; caudal fin slightly emarginate. Scales on body small cycloid anteriorly, ctenoid posteriorly; head naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; reduced transverse pattern of sensory-papillae rows on cheek. Color: ground color of head and anterior part of body pale, gradually shading from orange to dark brown posteriorly; first dorsal fin dull yellow anteroventrally, dark brown posteroventrally; anal fin dull yellow, with a broad longitudinal dark-red midstripe edged by purple lines dorsoventrally; caudal fin dark brown, with two arched blue lines; pelvic fin pale yellow. Size: 6.0 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-Pacific. Remarks: found in shallow coral reefs (commonly shallower than 30 m depth); hovering a short distance above sandy bottoms with rubbles.