Periophthalmus

African Mudskipper ( Periophthalmus barbarus )

Mudskipper ( Periophthalmus ) are an amphibious species of fish from the family of gobies ( Gobiidae ). The scientific name Periophthalmus comes from the Greek and was awarded because of the high-set eyes, which allow a good all-round visibility ( " peri " = about, on all sides; " ophthalmos " = eye).

Dissemination

Mudskippers inhabit the mangrove forests and the brackish water of East Africa, northern Australia to Samoa. Further north they occur to Korea and Japan. One way Periophthalmus barbarus, lives on the coast of West Africa.

Features

Mudskipper, 5 to 16,5 cm long. They have an elongated body, the rear side is slightly flattened and high -set eyes that clearly rise above the head profile and two well separated dorsal fins. The eyes are close together and have a folded lower eyelid with the eye can be regularly moistened and wiped. With her seated at a long muscular lobe pectoral fins bouncing they can move on land. The pelvic fins may be connected by a membrane between the fifth fin rays with each other or completely separated. The caudal fin is asymmetrical and has thickened lower fin rays. At the top of any sensory channels are visible. The mouth is horizontal and has a row of teeth in each jaw. Mudskippers are covered by small cycloid scales or slightly ctenoiden shed.

  • Fins formula: Dorsal 1 IV - XXVII, Dorsal 2 I / max. 14, Anal I / max. 14
  • Dandruff formula: MLR 46-121.

Way of life

The mudskippers are amphibious fish and spend most of their time out of water. As the only representative of the Mudskipper relatives colonize the Periophthalmus types and higher -lying coastal sections with firm mud bottom, soft almost " afraid of water " at incoming tide back and even climb while the roots of the mangroves. They feed more carnivorous than their relatives that eat mainly plant nursery, and prey on invertebrates, especially insects and small crustaceans. Mudskippers dig branched transitions in the ground, into which they retire at risk and where they also reproduce.

Species

There are 18 ways:

  • Periophthalmus Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes argentilineatus, 1837
  • Periophthalmus barbarus (Linnaeus, 1766 )
  • Periophthalmus chrysospilos Bleeker, 1852
  • Periophthalmus gracilis Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus Kalolo Lesson, 1831
  • Periophthalmus magnuspinnatus Lee, Choi & Ryu, 1995
  • Periophthalmus malaccensis Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus minutus Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus modestus Cantor, 1842
  • Periophthalmus novaeguineaensis Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus novemradiatus (Hamilton, 1822)
  • Periophthalmus sobrinus Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus spilotus Murdy & Takita, 1999
  • Periophthalmus Takita Jaafar & Larson, 2008
  • Periophthalmus variabilis Eggert, 1935
  • Periophthalmus walailakae Darumas & Tantichodok, 2002
  • Periophthalmus waltoni Koumans, 1941
  • Periophthalmus weberi Eggert, 1935

Three more, earlier this genus associated species differ mainly by the possession of two jaw teeth and are now under the generic name Periophthalmodon ( Bleeker, 1874) performed:

  • Periophthalmodon freycineti ( Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
  • Periophthalmodon schlosseri ( Pallas, 1770)
  • Periophthalmodon septemradiatus (Hamilton, 1822)
Atlantic mudskipper Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider Fish fin High tide Carnivore FishBase
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