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Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae

Randall's prawn-goby

Amblyeleotris randalli
Family: Gobiidae

The Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

Randall's prawn-goby is a goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of the western Pacific. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a white body with narrow orange crossbars and a tall, eyespot-bearing first dorsal fin. It lives in symbiosis with a near-blind digging shrimp: the shrimp maintains a shared burrow while the sharp-eyed goby stands guard. It snaps at small zooplankton and invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Randall's prawn-goby?

The Randall's prawn-goby has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly white and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Randall's prawn-goby live?

The Randall's prawn-goby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others

How big does the Randall's prawn-goby get?

The Randall's prawn-goby grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Randall's prawn-goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Randall's prawn-goby 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.

Is the Randall's prawn-goby edible?

Yes, the Randall's prawn-goby is commonly eaten.

More photos

Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Chika Watanabe (CC BY 2.0)
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Ivan Samra, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Randall's prawn-goby (Amblyeleotris randalli) — Gobiidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

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All data

Identification

English name
Randall's prawn-goby sourced
Scientific name
Amblyeleotris randalli
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Randall's prawn-goby; Sailfin shrimpgoby; Gold-barred shrimp-goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Rounded

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Natural range
Oceania: Australia, Solomon Is., Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Ryukyu Is. and others 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

Edibility
Commonly eaten
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 Amblyeleotris

More from the family Gobiidae

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