Silverspot Shrimpgoby

The Silverspot Shrimpgoby (Ctenogobiops maculosus) is a small, tropical marine fish found in the 🌊 Western Indian Ocean, particularly in the 🌊 Red Sea. Typically residing in coastal reefs, it prefers habitats with coarse sand and rubble bottoms. It lives at depths ranging from 1 to 20 meters (3 to 66 feet), although it is most commonly found between 1 and 5 meters (3 to 16 feet).

This fish can grow up to 6.7 centimeters (about 2.6 inches) in length. Its body is adorned with four rows of distinct dark brown spots. The dorsal fin is composed of 7 spines and 11 soft rays, while the anal fin has 1 spine and 11 soft rays. Pectoral fins exhibit 18 to 19 rays, and the body displays 58 to 66 scales along its length. The shape of its snout forms a 60-degree angle with the head and body, and its gill openings extend to or just past the rear edge of the facial operculum.

Distinctively, the Silverspot Shrimpgoby has its second dorsal spine as the longest—ranging from 1.2 to 2.2 times the length of the third spine in males, and 1.2 to 1.6 times longer in females. The caudal fin measures 2.8 to 3.6 times the body length without the head (standard length). Its postorbital region has four slanted rows of dashes and spots, and there is a V-shaped dark marking behind the snout. When alive, the ventral side of the fish has small vertical yellow marks, especially prominent on the abdomen. The pectoral fins are marked with a white spot at their upper base and a larger spot near their midsection. The genus name "Ctenogobiops" derives from Greek and Latin, meaning "comb gudgeon appearance," referencing its distinct physical characteristics.