Decorated Glidergoby, Valenciennea decora Hoese & Larson, 1994

Scientific name: Valenciennea decora
Alternative name/s:
Decora Goby, Decorated Glider Goby, Orange-banded Sleeper
Decorated Glidergoby Click to enlarge image
A Decorated Glidergoby at a depth of 21 m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, January 2003. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Valenciennea
    Species
    decora
    Family
    Gobiidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to about 12 cm in length.

Introduction

The Decorated Glidergoby is a beautifully coloured fish. The species name decoracomes from the Latin word 'decorus' meaning adorned or elegant.

Identification

The Decorated Glidergoby has a yellow stripe on the lower side of the body and either one or four to five bars crossing the sides. There are two or three blue stripes on the head. The top of the head and snout have blue spots. The first dorsal fin has a black blotch. The species name decora comes from the Latin word 'decorus' meaning adorned or elegant.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of New Caledonia, Fiji and Australia. In Australia it is known from the southern Great Barrier Reef and northern New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

Hoese, D.F & Larson, H.K. 1994. Revision of the Indo-Pacific Gobiid Fish Genus Valenciennea, with Descriptions of Seven New Species. Indo-Pacific Fishes. 23: 1-71.