Redmargin Shrimpgoby

Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata

Redmargin Shrimpgoby Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata

Redmargined Shrimpgoby

Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata

Mohlmann and Randall, 2002

Description

Body design

This is a medium-sized goby, around 11 cm in length. It is light brown, paler ventrally than dorsally, with 6 pale brown bands.

The body is marked with six red-to-yellow brown bands which are narrower dorsally. Between these is a pattern of fine black speckles ending in a short vertical line ventrally. In some individuals, a pale yellow extension of this line runs down to the belly.

The head has few markings. There is a reflective blue line running diagonally behind the eye and small blue spots alongside. There is a black spot behind the eye. There is a wedge-shaped black patch running parallel to the jaw starting at the angle of the mandible. The upper lip and adjacent face are ridged and variegated.

Fin design

The dorsal fins have a blue-edged red upper margin, the result of a line of red spots on the top of each spine. The second dorsal fin extends to the tail.

This margin is continued onto the translucent caudal fin, which is elaborately shaped, with red streaks, and blue-edged red spots along the top. The anal fin is translucent yellow-grey with an orange margin and narrow blue submarginal line

The pelvic fins are pale yellow-grey. The pectoral fins are colourless.

Diagnostic features

This goby looks different from most others in its genus in being a very plain fish with characteristic dorsal freckling between the bars and distinctive red fin margins.

It can be surprisingly difficult to distinguish from A stenotaeniata in photographic images by the body and fin features. The best way to tell them apart is by the black spot behind the eye, the wedge-shaped black patch running parallel to the jaw and the ridged and variegated upper lip. Habitat and ecological preferences are also different.

Similar species

A stenotaeniata

A gymnocephala

Both are differentiated by head design features.

Taxonomy

Etymology Latin rubri=red, marginata = margined. (The dorsal fin rays)

Citation Mohlmann and Randall 2002 Bull. Raffles Mus. 50(1) 216.

Type locality Watson’s Bay, Lizard Island.

Natural History

Habitat Moderately coarse sand at the edge of a fringing reef or among scattered small coral rock outcrops at 5 to 25 metre depths.

Behaviour

In the course of a period of observation, the eye surround can be seen to change from pale to black. We do not know the significance of this. It may be a response to anxiety. or it may be a signal to other shrimp gobies in the vicinity. The same thing is seen in other shrimpgobies.

Displaying with fins out and jumping up and down

Cleaner Shrimp The shrimpgoby sits quietly at the burrow entrance while a cleaner shrimp (Anclyomenes species) cleans along its back.

Distribution

Published Distribution: Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Australia: Ashmore Reef through Great Barrier Reef to Morton Bay and New Caledonia

Our records: Solomon Islands: Ghizo, Nggella, Santa Isabel, Soghangola Island and Maravagi Bay. Papua New Guinea: Kimbe Bay and Normanby Island. Indonesia: Batanta, Kabui Bay. Australia: Great Barrier Reef Ribbon Reefs 3 and 9, Tongue Reef, Michaelmas Cay, Lizard Island, Low Isles.

Associated Shrimp species

Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Banded Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 1
Banded Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 1
Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Black-sided Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus cf djeddensis
Black-sided Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus cf djeddensis
Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Pink Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus
Pink Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus
Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Red Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus
Red Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus
Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Red Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 9
Red Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 9 (image from video)
Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata with Tiger Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus bellulus
Tiger Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus bellulus

Associated Shrimps (six shrimps)

Banded Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 1

Black-sided Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus cf djeddensis 

Pink Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus 

Red Pyjama Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus ochrostriatus 

Red Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus species 9 (Image from video)

Tiger Snapping Shrimp, Alpheus bellulus

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