Common Name
Meek's Goby
Year Described
Evermann & Marsh, 1899
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VII, 16-18 (usually 17)
Anal Fin: 16-18
Pectoral Fin: 19-23 (usually 21-22)
Gill Rakers: 4+13
Scales: 46-60 rows
Body elongate. Mouth large and upturned. Dentary with 7-8 teeth. Females with a well developed fleshy dorsal crest. Males with a poorly developed dorsal crest. There are two preopercular pores. Supraorbital canals usually joined between eyes. Dorsal spines 2-6 very elongate in males (beyond caudal fin base) but not elongate in females. Body covered in ctenoid scales.
Color
Body opaque yellowish-brown fading to whitish on the belly. A weak orange lateral stripe is bordered above by a bright blue stripe that runs from upper gill cover to base of tail. A prominent black shoulder spot under the dorsal fin origin is bordered by two blue spots. An orange stripe runs from this spot forward to the eye. Head body colored but with a dark snout and purple cheek. Two iridescent blue stripes present on cheek (lower broken into spots). Eye pale with dark edges. Spiny dorsal pale yellow with numerous red spots that become larger and elongated on filamentous portion. Soft dorsal fin dusky. Caudal fin dusky with dark borders. Anal fin dusky. Pelvic fins dark with blue spot at base. Pectoral fin clear.
Size
Maximum size to 55mm SL.
Habitat
Mud bottoms from 0-27m. Inhabits shallow mangrove swamps and estuaries.
Range
Puerto Rico to Venezuela and Brazil.
References
Birdsong, R.S. 1981. A review of the gobiid fish genus Microgobius Poey. Bulletin of Marine Science v. 31 (no. 2): 267-306.
Tornabene, L. , J.L. van Tassell and D.R. Robertson. 2012. Microgobius urraca (Teleostei: Gobiidae), a new species of goby from the tropical eastern Pacific. Zootaxa No. 3447: 41-55.