Stiphodon alcedo Maeda, Mukai & Tachihara, 2012

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Sicydiinae
Max. size:  4.34 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.79 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Asia: Okinawa Island and Iriomote Island of the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 10-10; Vertebrae: 25-27. Distinguished from its congeners by having the following characters: dorsal fins, usually VI-I, 9, male having pointed, but not filamentous, first dorsal fin with elongate spines 4 and 5, posterior tip of fin usually extending to base of soft-rays 2-5 of second dorsal fin; pectoral fin with 15-17 (mode 16) rays; 32-40 premaxillary teeth; dentary with 32-45 horizontal teeth; female with two black longitudinal bands laterally on body arranged with a larger interval between two bands; lower band composed of 8-11 regular blotches, upper band thin and pale; all fins of female usually with faint markings; non-nuptial colored male having a dark brown longitudinal band just below lateral midline; nuptial colored male lacking this band, and having blackish or sometimes orange body, metallic turquoise laterally on head, metallic turquoise spot on upper pectoral-fin base when alive; and male often with 1-6 somewhat obscure black spots on pectoral-fin rays (Ref. 90212).
Biology:  Adults and juveniles inhabit freshwater streams, usually in pools. Often form shoals with conspecific individuals and the congeners Stiphodon percnopterygionus and Stiphodon atropurpureus, and occasionally with Stiphodon imperiorientis.
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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