| Family: |
Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Sicydiinae |
| Max. size: |
3.45 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Asia: Sri Lanka. Known only from the southwestern part of the country (Ref. 44827). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 10. Nine rays in second dorsal fin (Dorsal fin VI-I, 9). Fifteen pectoral rays. Scales in lateral series 34. Ten cycloid scales in predorsal midline. Forty-five tricuspid teeth in upper jaw. Cutaneous sensory papillae over head elongate. Upper lip crenulated. Ridge of tissue forming a ring around anus (Ref. 44827). |
| Biology: |
Like other sicydiine gobies, Stiphodon martenstyni is probably amphidromous (McDowell, 1992a, 1992b). While juveniles and adults live exclusively in freshwater, adults reproduce in freshwater, the eggs being cared for by males. Eggs in all sicydiine gobies studied usually hatch in about 24 hours (Erdman, 1961, 1986; Beyer, 1989) at which time the fry passively drift downstream and out to sea where they become part of the plankton layer. The time spent out at sea as planktonic fry is unknown. The returning fry can be likened to surfers: that is, when fry are able to detect the crest of waves to their new home. This follows a similar scenario presented in Erdman (1961) for Sicydium Valenciennes, 1837 from Puerto Rico (Ref. 44827). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Critically Endangered (CR); Date assessed: 06 August 2019 (B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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