Sandy Shrimpgoby

The Sandy Shrimpgoby (Ctenogobiops feroculus) is a tropical marine fish that is commonly found in the shallow waters of reefs, specifically in the Indo-West Pacific region, extending from the 🌊 Red Sea to 🇳🇨 New Caledonia (🇫🇷 Overseas France) and as far north as the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan), with sightings in Truk and 🇬🇺 Guam in 🇫🇲 Micronesia. This small fish reaches a maximum length of 8 cm (about 3 inches) and is usually observed at depths between 1 to 20 meters (3 to 66 feet), although it prefers shallower depths of 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet).

The Sandy Shrimpgoby is distinctive with its whitish body adorned with three rows of large brown spots and a notable dark blotch just behind its eye. The head features small dark spots or streaks, and there are white spots near the base of its pectoral fin. Its dorsal fin contains 7 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays, while the anal fin comprises 1 spine and 10 to 11 soft rays. A unique aspect of its anatomy is the rounded caudal fin, which is about equal in length to its head, and the gill opening that reaches the vertical edge of the preopercle.

This fish typically resides in sandy or rubble-covered bottoms of lagoon environments and subtidal reef flats, often sharing its habitat with Ctenogobiops pomastictus. The Sandy Shrimpgoby is usually seen in pairs, utilizing the burrows of alpheid prawns as shelter. It feeds on small benthic invertebrates, contributing to its ecosystem by controlling the population of these tiny creatures.