Mugilogobius rivulus

Larson, 2001

Drain 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.

In Australia Mugilogobius rivulus is known only from the Darwin region and Melville Island, in storm drains and brackish creeks, collected together with Mugilogobius platystomus at Leader’s Creek, Gunn Point. Its first New Guinea record came almost by accident, when around 20 specimens were netted from a mud puddle in a Rossel Island (Louisiade Archipelago) swamp forest during a wider fish survey and identified by Helen Larson — at the time, previously unknown from New Guinea at all.

Compiled for Home of the Rainbowfish from ANGFA sources: N. Armstrong, “Mangrove gobies”, Fishes of Sahul 16, 2002, pp. 892–897; G. R. Allen, “Unexplored islands of Papua New Guinea”, Fishes of Sahul 17, 2003, pp. 926–948; Anonymous, “Mugilogobius rivulus”, In-Stream 24, 2015, pp. 27–28.