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Swordtail sleeper goby (Asterropteryx ensifera) — Gobiidae

Swordtail sleeper goby

Asterropteryx ensifera
Family: Gobiidae

The Swordtail sleeper goby (Asterropteryx ensifera) is a brackish-water fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 3 cm.

Length
3 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
6.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The swordtail sleeper goby is a small goby (Gobiidae) from shallow reef and rubble water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 4 cm and has a stocky, dark body with glittering blue spots and a few elongated dorsal rays. As a bottom-dweller it sits among coral rubble, stones and sand and snaps at small crustaceans, worms and zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Swordtail sleeper goby?

The Swordtail sleeper goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Swordtail sleeper goby live?

The Swordtail sleeper goby lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Swordtail sleeper goby get?

The Swordtail sleeper goby grows to a maximum of about 3 cm.

Is the Swordtail sleeper goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Swordtail sleeper goby is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Zwaard-juweelgrondel sourced
English name
Swordtail sleeper goby sourced
Scientific name
Asterropteryx ensifera
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Miller's damsel verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
3.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
6.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Asterropteryx

More from the family Gobiidae

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