Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Eponymy: Loki was a legendary Old Norse God who was a rather enigmatic trickster, presumably referring to the goby’s cryptic coloration, matching the gorgonian sea fans and whips on which it is most often found. (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Larson.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 6 - 45 m (Ref. 90102). Subtropical
Indo-Pacific: in the western Pacific from the Ryukyu Islands south to the Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island, and New Caledonia, east to Fiji and Samoa, and the Hawaiian Islands. Only the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but other localities are expected. The authors report the species for the Red Sea from a specimen from Sudan, one at Ras Bob on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, and one from the Seven Brothers Islands in the Gulf of Aden near the southern end of the Red Sea (Ref. 89154).
Known as widespread in the tropics south to Montague Island (Ref. 9002).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.5 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48637)
Dorsal spines (total): 6 - 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7 - 9. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,7-I,9, usually I,8; anal-fin rays I,7-I,9, usually I,8; scales usually extending forward to above pectoral-fin base, the longitudinal scale count 33–53 (mean scale count 47); body depth at origin of anal fin 10.5–17.8% SL; body progressively compressed posteriorly; head width slightly greater than head depth; snout short, the length equal to or less than orbit diameter; gill opening extending forward to posterior margin of orbit; one or two canine teeth at side of lower jaw; caudal fin truncate with rounded corners; pelvic fins short, round, and cup-like; pelvic spines short and fleshy; nape and body transparent dorsally with seven narrow red bars that broaden as they pass onto dusky golden ventral part of body (on some individuals, the red and gold tend to merge, making the bars indistinct); a white to pale yellow line visible dorsally on vertebral column. A small species, generally less than 20 mm SL (Ref. 89154).
Known to live only on sea whips and gorgonian corals (Ref. 9002). Occurs usually with Junceela fragilis in Indonesia, that found inshore on somewhat silty reefs (Ref. 48637).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kuiter, R.H., 1993. Coastal fishes of south-eastern Australia. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu, Hawaii. 437 p. (Ref. 9002)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 24.7 - 28.9, mean 27.6 °C (based on 402 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00724 (0.00339 - 0.01546), b=3.10 (2.92 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 151 [56, 377] mg/100g; Iron = 1.04 [0.44, 2.31] mg/100g; Protein = 18.4 [16.3, 20.2] %; Omega3 = 0.163 [0.064, 0.375] g/100g; Selenium = 13.1 [4.4, 35.4] μg/100g; VitaminA = 89.7 [18.7, 403.6] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.92 [1.05, 3.31] mg/100g (wet weight);
