Trimmatom nanus Winterbottom & Emery, 1981
Dwarf atom goby
Trimmatom nanus
photo by Bogorodsky, S.V.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  1 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 5 - 35 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific. Red Sea, Maldives and Chagos; to Society Is.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Characterized by semi-translucent pale grey body with 10 internal red bars; red head; first dorsal spine, slightly elongate; first three pelvic fin rays branched; fifth pelvic ray unbranched, 15% length of fourth ray; longitudinal scale series 23; predorsal scales absent; cheek and opercle without scales; depth of body 5.0 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Adults inhabit mainly oceanic drop-offs between 20 to 30 m (Ref. 38635). Also found in lagoons and outer reefs in 5-35 m (Ref. 90102). One of the smallest (=shortest) vertebrate of the world, with mature females reaching only 8-10 mm SL; scaleless (Ref. 9360).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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