Stiphodon palawanensis Maeda & Palla, 2015

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Sicydiinae
Max. size:  6.39 cm SL (male/unsexed); 6.36 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; depth range - 3 m
Distribution:  Asia: Palawan, Philippines.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 10-10. Stiphodon palawanensis is distinguished by the following characters: first dorsal fin pointed in male; second dorsal fin usually with one spine and nine segmented rays, pectoral fin usually with 15 segmented rays; relatively large caudal fin (26-34% of SL) in male; premaxilla with 45-71 tricuspid teeth, dentary with 2-6 (male) or 1-4 (female) symphyseal teeth and 45-79 unicuspid horizontal teeth; nape and posterior part of occipital region covered by cycloid scales; 9-11 dusky transverse bars laterally on trunk and tail; first dorsal fin gray or dusky after preservation (orange or reddish brown in life) without any distinct markings, having a line of black blotches (male) or a black band (female) on distal part of second dorsal fin; pectoral fin without clear markings (Ref. 104909).
Biology:  Occurs in pools with a substrate composed of a mixture of boulders, gravel, and pebbles with exposed bedrock in some places. Also found in rapids. Two cyprinid species, Barbodes palavanensis (Boulenger) and Rasbora everetti Boulenger co-exist very abundantly with Stiphodon palawanensis. Syntopic with other common fishes such as two gobioids, Glossogobius illimis Hoese & Allen and Redigobius sp., and a halfbeak Dermogenys palawanensis Meisner (Ref. 104909).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 09 August 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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