Orange-dashed Goby (Pacific)

Valenciennea puellaris is a species of goby native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits lagoons and outer reefs where it occurs on sandy substrates with larger pieces of rubble to burrow under. It can reach a length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in) SL. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. Its main diet is composed of zoo plankton and dead fish or insects.

Description

It is characterized by pale grey body color for Pacific fish with row of large orange spots on side, a series of dash-like markings below, smaller orange spots on back and blue to whitish streaks or spots on head. Indian Ocean fish is with pale blue-grey body color with orange stripe across lower head, cheeks with blue markings and orange bars on side connected to pale orange stripe on lower half. Third dorsal spine, longest, filamentous in juveniles under 40 mm SL; rounded caudal fin, 3.0-4.2 in SL; longitudinal scale series 79-91; ctenoid body scales, becoming cycloid anteriorly before first dorsal fin, on lower side, and midline of abdomen; head or midline of nape without scales; side of nape with scales extending forward to above middle of operculum; scaleless pectoral fin base; partly to fully scaled prepelvic area; depth of body 4.8-6.0 in SL. Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 112; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 11 - 12.

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to Samoa, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Habitat

It inhabits sandy areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs. It occurs in pairs and use burrows as refuge. Monogamous. The burrow is shallow, only a few cm, and made under large pieces of rubble. May be found on dark volcanic sand such as those in the Philippines, Indonesia, and the northern Mariana Islands.