Red-mouthed goby (Gobius cruentatus)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Gobius cruentatus
- Common name
- Red-mouthed goby
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Genus
- Gobius
- Size
- 10–18 cm
- Depth
- 1–40 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky-reef
- Behaviours
- solitary, territorial
- Ocean zones
- East Atlantic, Mediterranean
Description
Gobius cruentatus reaches 18 cm. Mediterranean goby with stocky red-brown to brown-orange body with distinctive bright red marks around mouth and cheeks (hence cruentatus, bloodied). Red eyes. Lives from 1 to 40 m on rocky bottoms and coralligenous of Mediterranean and East Atlantic. Highly territorial. Predator of small benthic invertebrates. Characteristic macro photo subject of Med dives for photogenic red marks. One of the most recognizable Med Gobius.
Photo of Red-mouthed goby
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Red-mouthed goby?
- Red-mouthed goby (Gobius cruentatus) reaches 10–18 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Red-mouthed goby?
- Red-mouthed goby is found between 1–40 m deep.
- Is the Red-mouthed goby dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Red-mouthed goby?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Red-mouthed goby?
- Found in: East Atlantic, Mediterranean.
Other species in the genus Gobius
- Gobius vittatus - Striped goby
- Gobius bucchichi - Bucchich's goby
- Gobius xanthocephalus - Yellow-headed goby
- Gobius geniporus - Slender goby
Other species in the family Gobiidae
- Chromogobius zebratus - Kolombatovic's goby
- Elacatinus oceanops - Neon goby
- Elacatinus evelynae - Sharknose goby
- Priolepis hipoliti - Rusty goby
- Elacatinus genie - Cleaning goby
- Coryphopterus glaucofraenum - Bridled goby
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 126888)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 8187685)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia