Black Goby
Gobius niger
Giant Goby
Gobius cobitis
About
The giant goby is the largest goby found in European waters, reaching a maximum length of 14.1 cm. It spends much of its life tucked into rock pools high on the shore, making it an unusual find for a diver.
- Length
- 14.1 cm
- Depth
- up to 35 m
How to tell it apart
It can be mistaken for other gobies sharing the same rock pools. Its clearly larger size, being the biggest goby in the region, is the mark to check.
Appearance
The body is greyish to olive brown, covered in small scales and marked with a fine 'pepper and salt' speckling, most noticeable on smaller fish. The eyes are small and the tail stalk short. During the breeding season, males turn darker than females.
Habitat
Lives in rock pools high in the intertidal zone on sheltered shores, usually where boulders offer shelter. Fresh water seeping into these pools keeps them brackish. It is also found in subtidal coastal waters down to about 35 m, from the eastern Atlantic through the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Diet
Feeds on polychaete worms, green algae, amphipods, crabs, and insects picked from hard rocky surfaces.
Conservation
Listed as Least Concern, though it may be sensitive to disturbance from people using its shoreline habitat. In Great Britain, it is protected by law, making it an offence to kill, injure, or disturb the species or its shelter.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
