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Ambanoro shrimpgoby (Vanderhorstia ambanoro) — Gobiidae

Ambanoro shrimpgoby

Vanderhorstia ambanoro
Family: Gobiidae

The Ambanoro shrimpgoby (Vanderhorstia ambanoro) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Ambanoro shrimpgoby is a goby (Gobiidae) from coastal waters of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 13 cm and has a slender, pale body with fine orange and blue spots and lines. It lives in symbiosis with a near-blind digging shrimp: the shrimp maintains a shared burrow in the sandy bottom 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 Ambanoro shrimpgoby?

The Ambanoro shrimpgoby has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly white.

Where does the Ambanoro shrimpgoby live?

The Ambanoro shrimpgoby lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Ambanoro shrimpgoby get?

The Ambanoro shrimpgoby grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Ambanoro shrimpgoby dangerous to humans?

No, the Ambanoro shrimpgoby is harmless to humans.

Is the Ambanoro shrimpgoby edible?

Yes, the Ambanoro shrimpgoby is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Ambanoro-garnaalgrondel sourced
English name
Ambanoro shrimpgoby sourced
Scientific name
Vanderhorstia ambanoro
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Ambanoro prawn-goby; Twinspot shrimp goby; Twinspot shrimpgoby; Twin-spotted shrimp-goby verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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 Vanderhorstia

More from the family Gobiidae

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