Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: papilio: Name from Latin 'papilio' meaning butterfly, used as the generic name of the swallowtail butterfly, refers to the elongate, filamentous fifth and ninth branched caudal-fin rays (like the 'tails' of the swallowtail butterfly); noun in apposition.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 5 - 55 m (Ref. 90102). Temperate, preferred ?
Northwest Pacific: Ryukyu Is., Japan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 55718)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 7;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 11;
Anal
spines: 1;
Anal
soft rays: 11;
Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished from its congeners in having the following set of characters: segmented dorsal-fin rays 11; segmented anal-fin rays 11; longitudinal scales 27; predorsal scales 11; third spine of first dorsal fin elongate, filamentous, and longer than the other spines; fifth and ninth branched caudal-fin rays elongate, filamentous, and forming bifurcate caudal fin; fifth and ninth branched rays each with a single branch; cephalic sensory-papillae row 'a' with 3 widely spaced papillae; numerous small yellow spots scattered on cheek, operculum, nape, body, and dorsal fins in fresh or live individuals; below the eye is a dusky yellowish brown vertical bar; body with 4 dark gray brown saddles, in addition to a similarly colored large blotch at midlateral caudal-fin base (Ref. 55718).
A single specimen collected from a sandy-mud bottom at a depth of 45 m in a protected bay. Observed to be usually at 40-50 m depths (area with pebbles); the young at depths of 8 m to about 30 m, but apparently on rare occasions; the species symbiotically associates with alpheid shrimp (species name uncertain) (Ref. 55718).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Shibukawa, K. and T. Suzuki, 2004. Vanderhorstia papilio, a new shrimp-associated goby from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan (Perciformes: Gobiidae: Gobiinae), with comments on the limits of the genus. Ichthyol. Res. 51:113-119. (Ref. 55718)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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