PTERELEOTRIDAE


Ptereleotris microlepis
(photo by Baramee Temboonkiat)


Ptereleotris microlepis
(Bleeker, 1856)
Green-eyed Dartgoby

D VI + I, 25-29; A I, 24-27; P1 21-24; LR ca. 150; PDS 0.

Body elongate, compressed. Head compressed; lower jaw projecting anteriorly beyond upper jaw; chin without barbels; gill opening moderately wide, extending anteriorly to a vertical line through middle of operculum. Single or two posterior spines of first dorsal fin longest and slightly elongate; pelvic fins separated; caudal fin slightly emarginate. Scales on body sma l l , cyc loid, mos t l y embedded and non-imbricate (except for slightly overlapping scales on posterior part of body); head naked. Sensory canals and pores present on head; reduced transverse pattern of sensory-papillae rows on cheek. Color: head and body pale gray or bluish gray; crescent-shaped black bar on pectoral-fin base. Size: 10.1 cm SL. Distribution: Indo-Pacific. Remarks: found in shallow coral reefs over sandy or sand-rubble bottoms; free swimming species, usually found in solo or small aggregations.