Description

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 11. Distinguished by the following characteristics: moderate-sized (up to 56 mm SL) with wide range in live colour pattern; ctenoid body scales usually reaching rear corner of opercle, occasionally ctenoid scales reaching to above rear preopercular margin; nape midline scales always cycloid, distinct flap present at end of lower lip; when alive, colour variable: body translucent white with five to seven rows of small variably coloured (dull orange, brown, red-brown to blackish) spots and/or thin lines and about six indistinct diffuse orange-brown to purple-brown blotches along midside; narrow vertical black mark on top of each eye, marks may join each other across interorbital space, and narrow black vertical line crossing cheek below eye; small dark mark of variable shape (often W-shaped) above pectoral fin base, with small yellow spot in centre; second dorsal and anal fin rays usually I,11; pectoral rays 12-18, modally 16; lateral scales 24-30, modally 27; 7-12 predorsal scales (modally 9) (Ref. 92171).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Gobiiformes

Family: Gobiidae

Genus: Gnatholepis

Species: Gnatholepis cauerensis (Bleeker, 1853)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A common species that occurs in sheltered sandy areas from reef flats to seaward reefs; over sandy bottoms near pieces of rubble, rock, or coral (live or dead) (Ref. 9710, 48637, 92171). Solitary or in small groups (Ref. 90102). Feeds on algae, detritus and small benthic invertebrates (Ref. 89972).

Habitat

brackish