Mugilogobius platystomus

(Günther, 1872)

Island Mangrovegoby

Mugilogobius (“Mangrove Gobies”) is a genus of small, hardy gobies typically found in mangrove creeks, storm drains and other brackish or freshwater habitats close to the coast. A 2001 taxonomic revision by Helen Larson recognised 25 species in the genus, nine of them then known from Australia.

A shy species, described from early Darwin-region material as “very timid,” Mugilogobius platystomus occurs from Darwin, Northern Territory, south to around Sydney, New South Wales, and separately across the tropical western Pacific including Singapore, Palau and the Indo-Australian Archipelago, spanning New Guinea waters as well.

Compiled for Home of the Rainbowfish from ANGFA sources: A. R. Tappin, “Mugilogobius platystomus”, In-Stream 23, 2014, pp. 26–28; N. Armstrong, “Mangrove gobies”, Fishes of Sahul 16, 2002, pp. 892–897.