Goby question

Hi,

can anybody help me with this goby from Bali?

Size was about 2-3 cm.

Original:

Crop:

Thanks in advance

Wahrmut

There are several Pleurosicya species with a similar body shape and rather characteristic eye color. Based on the association with the hard coral I would suggest Mozambique ghostgoby (Pleurosicya mossambica). It has variable coloration including one like that shown in your image.

Bart

PS: I love the three-dimensionality of the coral in the image.

The coral appears to be a very green example of honeycomb coral, Diploastrea heliopora. Allen & Erdmann list lots of different types of host organisms for Pleurosicya mossambica but not hard corals (my footage is from sea pens). On the other hand, hard coral is listed as a host for the similar-looking Pleurosicya micheli, so that's a possibility. Having said that, your specimen does look a slightly closer visual match for P. mossambica

Bart, what's your reference for hard coral as a host?

By the way, absolutely gorgeous photo! I love that honeycomb coral in close-up.

Hi Nick, we seem to be using the same book (Reef Fishes of the East Indies). Hard corals are not listed as a substrate for this species but it is "happy" on so many different substrates that I just assumed it could be anywhere (and the top right image looked like coral to me but is maybe a softcoral). I know very little about anything without scales and tails but hope to change that in the coming month during a trip to the Philippines.

P. micheli fits better for a hard coral association but I thought the transparent body and brown stripe where characteristic.

Bart

Sorry to you both that I didn't reply to your comments - of some reason the function for following the topic was switched off... :-(

I must admit that I really struggle in differentiating the species of Gobies, e.g. P. micheli and P. mossambica.

Is it absolutely impossible that P. mossambica lives on a hard coral?

If so, is P. micheli the only alternative?

Thanks so far!

Cheers

Wahrmut