--- title: Gobies (Gobiidae) scientific_name: Gobiidae common_name: Gobies rank: Family published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z updated: 2026-08-03T20:58:37.531Z tags: Gobies, Gobiidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies --- # Gobies (*Gobiidae*) ## Quick facts - **Rank:** Family - **Scientific name:** Gobiidae - **Body shape:** Bottom-dwelling - Stocky, big-headed, sits on the reef or sand rather than swims - scorpionfishes, groupers, gobies. - **Species listed here:** 52 ## How to recognise this group - small size, typically under 10 cm - often resting motionless on the substrate - two separate dorsal fins - elongate body - pelvic fins often fused into a ventral disc Gobies are diverse, bottom-dwelling fish. Most species are less than 10 cm (3.9 in) long, though some exceptionally reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft). The group includes some of the world's smallest known vertebrates; Red Sea species like Trimmatom nanus measure less than 1 cm. They have elongate, often compressed bodies and two dorsal fins. Many species exhibit cryptic, camouflaged patterns, blending with their surroundings. A distinguishing feature is their fused pelvic fins, which form a disc-like sucker used for gripping sand, rocks, or corals. Ubiquitous residents of reef systems, gobies inhabit diverse environments from shallow reef crests to deeper reef slopes, commonly found down to 60 m (200 ft). They live on sand, rubble, or within crevices and coral branches. Most species are carnivores, feeding on small invertebrates, copepods, and zooplankton picked from the substrate or water column. Many gobies are territorial, often seen resting on the substrate and darting into cover when approached. A notable behaviour is the commensal relationship some species form with burrowing shrimp, sharing a single burrow. ## Species (52) - [Anomolous Goby (Coryogalops anomolus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/anomolous-goby) - [Arabian Goby (Cryptocentroides arabicus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/arabian-goby) - [Black Coral Goby (Bryaninops tigris)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/black-coral-goby) - [Broad-Barred Goby (Gobiodon histrio)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/broad-barred-goby) - [Brown-Red Coralgoby (Gobiodon fuscoruber)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/brown-red-coralgoby) - [Butterfly Goby (Amblygobius albimaculatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/butterfly-goby) - [Common Mudskipper (Periophthalmus kalolo)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/common-mudskipper) - [Common Sandgoby (Fusigobius neophytus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/common-sandgoby) - [Diagonal Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris diagonalis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/diagonal-shrimpgoby) - [Dusky Frillgoby (Bathygobius fuscus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/dusky-frillgoby) - [Elongate Coralgoby (Gobiodon prolixus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/elongate-coralgoby) - [Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis anjerensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/eyebar-goby) - [Flame Goby (Discordipinna griessingeri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/flame-goby) - [Giant Goby (Gobius cobitis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/giant-goby) - [Gorgeous Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/gorgeous-shrimpgoby) - [Horned Goby (Cerogobius petrophilus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/horned-goby) - [Large Sandgoby (Fusigobius maximus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/large-sandgoby) - [Lemon Coralgoby (Gobiodon citrinus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/lemon-coralgoby) - [Loki Whipgoby (Bryaninops loki)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/loki-whipgoby) - [Luther's Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus lutheri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/luthers-shrimpgoby) - [Magnus' Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris sungami)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/magnus-shrimpgoby) - [Mertens' Prawn-goby (Vanderhorstia mertensi)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/mertens-prawn-goby) - [Ninebar Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus cryptocentrus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/ninebar-shrimpgoby) - [Nocturn Goby (Amblygobius nocturnus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/nocturn-goby) - [Orange-Spotted Sandgoby (Fusigobius longispinus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/orange-spotted-sandgoby) - [Ornate Prawn-goby (Vanderhorstia ornatissima)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/ornate-prawn-goby) - [Pepperminteye Dwarfgoby (Eviota oculopiperita)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/pepperminteye-dwarfgoby) - [Punyit Dwarfgoby (Eviota punyit)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/punyit-dwarfgoby) - [Red Sea Dwarfgoby (Eviota marerubrum)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/red-sea-dwarfgoby) - [Red Sea Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis caudimaculata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/red-sea-eyebar-goby) - [Red Sea Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus caeruleopunctatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/red-sea-shrimpgoby) - [Redeye Goby (Bryaninops natans)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/redeye-goby) - [Reticulate Goby (Gobiodon reticulatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/reticulate-goby) - [Rock Goby (Gobius paganellus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/rock-goby) - [Rubble Dwarfgoby (Eviota prasina)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/rubble-dwarfgoby) - [Sandy Shrimpgoby (Ctenogobiops feroculus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/sandy-shrimpgoby) - [Scarlet Shrimpgoby (Ctenogobiops crocineus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/scarlet-shrimpgoby) - [Shadow Goby (Yongeichthys nebulosus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/shadow-goby) - [Silverlined Mudskipper (Periophthalmus argentilineatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/silverlined-mudskipper) - [Silverspot Shrimpgoby (Ctenogobiops maculosus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/silverspot-shrimpgoby) - [Snoutspot Goby (Amblygobius esakiae)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/snoutspot-goby) - [Sponge Goby (Bryaninops spongicolus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/sponge-goby) - [Spotted Dwarfgoby (Eviota guttata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/spotted-dwarfgoby) - [Spotted Frillgoby (Bathygobius cyclopterus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/spotted-frillgoby) - [Starry Goby (Asterropteryx semipunctata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/starry-goby) - [Steinhard’s Shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus steinhardi)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/steinhards-shrimpgoby) - [Steinitz Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris steinitzi)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/steinitz-shrimpgoby) - [Triplespot Shrimpgoby (Amblyeleotris triguttata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/triplespot-shrimpgoby) - [Two-Lined Coralgoby (Gobiodon bilineatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/two-lined-coralgoby) - [Whip Coral Goby (Bryaninops yongei)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/whip-coral-goby) - [Whitecap Goby (Lotilia graciliosa)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/whitecap-goby) - [Y-bar shrimp goby (Cryptocentrus fasciatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies/y-bar-shrimp-goby) --- *Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/gobies)* *Updated: August 3, 2026*