Wheeler's shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Amblyeleotris wheeleri
- Common name
- Wheeler's shrimpgoby
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Genus
- Amblyeleotris
- Size
- 5–10 cm
- Depth
- 3–40 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- sand
- Behaviours
- pair, symbiotic
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Amblyeleotris wheeleri reaches 10 cm. Indo-Pacific symbiotic goby with cream-white body with 4-5 distinctive red-orange transverse bands (more marked than A. guttata). Lives commensally with Alpheus pistol shrimp. Classic symbiosis: goby sentinel sensitive to vibrations, blind shrimp maintains burrow, antenna always in physical contact with goby. Lives from 3 to 40 m on sand and rubble of western and central Indo-Pacific (Maldives, Indonesia, Philippines). Sought-after macro photo subject of muck dives.
Photo of Wheeler's shrimpgoby
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Wheeler's shrimpgoby?
- Wheeler's shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri) reaches 5–10 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Wheeler's shrimpgoby?
- Wheeler's shrimpgoby is found between 3–40 m deep.
- Is the Wheeler's shrimpgoby dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Wheeler's shrimpgoby?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Wheeler's shrimpgoby?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Amblyeleotris
Other species in the family Gobiidae
- Elacatinus randalli - Yellowprow goby
- Elacatinus genie - Cleaning goby
- Coryphopterus glaucofraenum - Bridled goby
- Gnatholepis thompsoni - Goldspot goby
- Elacatinus evelynae - Sharknose goby
- Priolepis hipoliti - Rusty goby
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 209274)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2378853)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia