Suborder Gobioidei
This suborder contains mainly gobies. Gobies are characterised by their disc-shaped pelvic fins, which form a sucker that allows them to hang on to surfaces.
Mudskippers are gobies, which have adapted to living out of water. Gobies are generally small fish, although the Giant Mudskippers can grow up to 30 cm long.
A goby at Chek Jawa (left) and a mudskipper at Coney Island ©Tan KH
The Marbled Goby or Soon Hock (
Oxyeleotris marmorata) is a common dish on the table. It is not a True Goby (Family Gobiidae), but belong to the Family of Sleeper Gobies (Family Eleotridae), which also includes the Snakehead Gudgeon (
Ophiocara porocephala).
Soon Hock with a Goldfish and top view at Punggol Park ©Tan KH
Snakehead Gudgeon at Coney Island ©Tan KH
There are a few
Istigobius species in Singapore.
The Goldman's Goby or Black-spotted Lagoon-goby (
Istigobius goldmanni)
can be told apart from the others by the double black spots on the sides of the body.
Goldman's Goby at Sungei Buloh ©Tan KH
Grey Knight Goby (
Stigmalogobius sadanundio) is a common goby with a black saddle on the back and small black spots on the flanks.
Grey Knight Goby at Pasir Ris Park (left) and Coney Island ©Tan KH
Mudskippers are fascinating because they can stay out of water for a period of
time. They are part of the Goby family. There are more than 10 species that can
be found in Singapore. The more common ones are the Giant, Blue-spotted,
Gold-spotted and Yellow-spotted.
The Giant Mudskipper is the largest of them all. It has a black stripe along
the whole length of the body. The Blue-spotted Mudskipper has several black
stripes on its body and blue spots all over, but more on the face.
Giant Mudskipper behind and Blue-spotted Mudskipper in front at Lorong Halus ©Tan KH
Giant Mudskipper at Admiralty Park ©Tan KH
Giant Mudskipper at Changi Coast ©Lau SY
Giant Mudskipper at Sungei Buloh ©Tan KH
Gold-spotted Mudskipper has orange spots all over its body. Yellow-spotted
Mudskipper has yellow spots all over the body and the second dorsal fin has a
black stripe in the middle.
Gold-spotted Mudskippers at Chek Jawa ©Tan KH
Yellow-spotted Mudskipper at Sungei Buloh ©Tan KH
Yellow-spotted Mudskipper at Sungei Buloh (left) and Pasir Ris Park ©Tan KH
Bearded and Elongate Mudskippers both have a longish body, but the former has a
bluish belly and a tall dorsal fin when raised.
Bearded Mudskipper at Chek Jawa ©Tan KH
Elongate Mudskippers on coconut husk on Pulau Ubin ©Tan KH
Dusky-gilled Mudskipper (
Periophthalmus novemradiatus) is e smlles o em ll.
Dusky-gilled Mudskipper at Pasir Ris Park ©Tan KH
F: Freshwater; M: Marine
Gudgeons (Family Eleotridae)
Flathead Gudgeon
Butis humeralis - M
Snakehead Gudgeon
Ophiocara porocephala - M
Marbled Goby or Soon Hock
Oxyeleotris marmorata - F
Gobies (Family Gobiidae)
Bumblebee Fish
Brachygobius doriae - F
Kabili Bumblebee Fish
Brachygobius kabiliensis - F
Spotted Bumblebee Fish
Brachygobius xanthomelas - F
River Flathead Goby
Glossogobius giuris - F
Glass Goby
Gobiopterus brachypterus - F
Oriental River Goby
Rhinogobius giurinus - Introduced - F
Pond Goby
Stigmatogobius poecilosoma - F
Grey Knight Goby
Stigmalogobius sadanundio - F & M
Red-margined Shrimp Goby
Amblyeleotris gymnocephala - M
Head-striped Goby
Amblygobius stethophthalmus - M
Common Frillfin Goby
Bathygobius fuscus - M
Yellow Shrimp Goby
Cryptocentrus cinctus - M
Brown Shore Goby
Drombus triangularis - M
Polkadot-fin Goby
Exyrias puntang - M
Golden Flathead Goby
Glossogobius aureus - M
Broad-barred Acropora Goby
Gobiodon histrio - M
Common Mullet Goby
Hemigobius hoevenii - M
Blue-eyed Mullet Goby
Hemigobius mingi - M
Decorated Goby
Istigobius decoratus - M
Spectacled Goby
Istigobius diadema - M
Goldman's Goby
Istigobius goldmanni - M
Ornate Goby
Istigobius ornatus - M
Javanese Fatnose Goby
Pseudogobius javanicus - M
Pink Mud Goby
Trypauchen vagina - M
Shadow Goby
Yongeichthys nebulosus - M
Mudskippers (Subfamily Oxudercinae)
Blue-spotted Mudskipper
Boleophthalmus boddarti - M
Serpent Mudskipper
Parapocryptes serperaster - M
Giant Mudskipper
Periophthalmodon schlosseri - M
Silver-lined Mudskipper
Periophthalmus argentilineatus - M
Gold-spotted Mudskipper
Periophthalmus chrysospilos - M
Dusky-gilled Mudskipper
Periophthalmus novemradiatus - M
Yellow-spotted Mudskipper
Periophthalmus walailakae - M
Elongate Mudskipper
Pseudapocryptes elongatus - M
Bearded Mudskipper
Scartelaos histophorus - M
Dartfishes (Family Microdesmidae)
Estuarine Dartfish
Parioglossus palustris - M
