Cabillus tongarevae (Fowler, 1927)
Tongareva goby
Cabillus tongarevae
photo by Winterbottom, R.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  2.97 cm SL (male/unsexed); 2.39 cm SL (female)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 9 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: islands in the Indian Ocean to the Hawaiian and Line islands, north to southern Japan, south to northern Australia and Tonga.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Characterized by mainly white body color with short dark brown bar below eye; presence of dark band from rear eye to nape; side of body with irregular brown markings; large brown saddles below dorsal fins and dorsally on caudal peduncle; rounded caudal fin; longitudinal scale series 27; median predorsal scales absent; prepectoral and prepelvic areas without scales; depressed head, head depth about 1.3 in head width; opening of gill restricted to base of pectoral fin; depth of body 5.3-6.0 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Occurs on sandy bottoms of lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of over 9 m (Ref. 37816). Gut examined of a 2.78 cm SL male included remains of mantid shrimps and that of a 2.39 mm SL female included one juvenile specimen of Cabillus tongarevae, indicating possible cannibalistic habit (Ref. 125964).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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