Akihito vanuatu Watson, Keith & Marquet, 2007
Vanuatu's emperor
Akihito vanuatu
photo by Watson, R.E.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Sicydiinae
Max. size:  4.32 cm SL (male/unsexed); 3.93 cm SL (female)
Environment:  benthopelagic; freshwater
Distribution:  Oceania: Vanuatu.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 10-10. This species is characterized by the following; females with closely-set, slightly flexible tricuspid premaxillary teeth and 0-1 canine-like tooth at the posterior tip of the premaxilla; immature males with conical teeth posterior to tricuspid teeth; adult males with only fixed recurved conical to canine-like teeth; scales are much higher than long, along lateral midline between second dorsal and anal fins; few ctenoid scales midlaterally in males while only cycloid scales in females, and female scales are generally smaller than in males (Ref. 75882).
Biology:  Inhabits swift, clear streams with rocky bottom; the species utilizes presence of heavy rains to migrate to the sea or to the river. The mature specimens were collected at an altitude of 300 m. Few specimens were found to have fed on aquatic insects and crustacean (Ref. 75882).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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