Gorgeous Shrimpgoby

Amblyeleotris wheeleri, commonly known as the Gorgeous prawn-goby, is a vibrant marine fish found in the tropical reefs of the 🌊 Indian Ocean to the western 🌊 Pacific Ocean. It typically resides at depths ranging from 5 to 15 meters (16 to 49 feet) but can be found down to 40 meters (131 feet). This goby species is known for its symbiotic relationship with alpheid shrimps, particularly Alpheus ochrostriatus.

The Gorgeous prawn-goby reaches a length of up to 10 centimeters (3.9 inches). Its body is characterized by a whitish to pale yellow color with seven reddish-brown to red bars, adorned with blue spots on the head and body, and sometimes on the median fins. Additionally, the head features scattered red spots, including near the mouth. The pelvic fins are medially joined for nearly half the length of the fifth ray, and the predorsal scales extend forward to above the posterior margin of the preopercle. It has a longitudinal scale series of 50-58, with the body's greatest depth being 4.5-5.2 times the standard length. The species possesses a rounded caudal fin that is slightly longer than the head.

Though common in shallow waters of coral reef environments, it can also be found at greater depths, particularly around coastal sand slopes and deep lagoons. Geographically, it is distributed across the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to 🇫🇯 Fiji, extending north to southern 🇯🇵 Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef.

The fish is named in honor of the English ichthyologist Alwynne Cooper Wheeler, who significantly contributed to the study of prawn-associated gobies. The name Amblyeleotris derives from Greek, where 'amblys' means darkness, and 'eleotris' refers to a Nile fish. The Gorgeous prawn-goby is also available in the aquarium trade, cherished for its striking appearance and interesting behavior.