Parioglossus raoi (Herre, 1939)
Rao's hover goby
Parioglossus raoi
photo by Allen, G.R.

Family:  Microdesmidae (Wormfishes), subfamily: Ptereleotrinae
Max. size:  3.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman (Ref. 11441) to Fiji, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Indonesia. Recently recorded from Tonga (Ref. 53797).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-16; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 14-16. Body yellowish brown with a black longitudinal stripe and a bright blue spot between dorsal spines 5 and 6. SL to 25 mm (Ref. 1602). Description: Characterized further by having 70-85 longitudinal scale series; presence of head pores around top and rear margin of each eye; preopercular pores present or absent (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Inhabits mangrove swamps and inlet waters (Ref. 559); shallow coastal waters with mud, sand, or rock bottoms (Ref. 1602). Forms aggregations near surface (Ref. 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 September 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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