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Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) — Eleotridae

Olive flathead-gudgeon

Butis humeralis
Family: Eleotridae

The Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Eleotridae that grows up to 14 cm.

Length
14.2 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand

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Description

The olive flathead-gudgeon is a sleeper goby (Eleotridae) from fresh and brackish water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 14 cm and has an elongate, olive-brown body with a flattened head and a large mouth; remarkably, it sometimes swims upside down beneath overhanging structures. As a bottom-oriented ambush hunter it shelters in mangroves, estuaries and slow-flowing rivers and seizes small crustaceans, insects and small fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Olive flathead-gudgeon?

The Olive flathead-gudgeon has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Olive flathead-gudgeon live?

The Olive flathead-gudgeon lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand

How big does the Olive flathead-gudgeon get?

The Olive flathead-gudgeon grows to a maximum of about 14 cm.

Is the Olive flathead-gudgeon dangerous to humans?

No, the Olive flathead-gudgeon is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) — Eleotridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) — Eleotridae — 3
Jiayuan Lin (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) — Eleotridae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — BEDO (Thailand) (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis humeralis) — Eleotridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) H.T.Cheng, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

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All data

Identification

English name
Olive flathead-gudgeon sourced
Scientific name
Butis humeralis
Family
Eleotridae

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand sourced
Origin
Native

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates
Territorial
No
Reproduction
Separate sexes
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish.
Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Butis

More from the family Eleotridae

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