Trimma hollemani Winterbottom, 2016
Holleman’s pygmygoby
photo by Libert, F.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  2.76 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; marine; depth range 8 - 70 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-8; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 7-8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: a bony interorbital 82-100% pupil diameter; usually 11 ctenoid scales in predorsal midline; second dorsal spine may reach to the base of the third dorsal fin ray (in mature males) or anterior to this point; usually five free neuromasts (sensory papillae) in row r on the top of the snout, pectoral-fin rays usually 14-15 with 1-4 branched rays in about half the individuals; an unbranched fifth pelvic-fin ray that is 47-64% the length of the fourth ray. Colour of freshly collected specimens: a red to yellow background colour, a light stripe along the mid-lateral body that continues forward over the top of the pupil ending posteriorly at a pale bar across the peduncle in front of the dark caudal blotch; a light stripe below the eye bordered dorsally by a narrow red stripe (both light stripes blue in life). In preserved specimens, the central dark stripe on the snout (blue in life) is usually made up of amorphous brown chromatophores, often with a few scattered rounded very dark chromatophores, a dark blotch made up of rounded brown chromatophores on chin just behind the symphysis, and at least some dark chromatophores on the lower lip (Ref. 109919).
Biology:  Found in caves of reef slopes also with overhangs and crevices; in areas with sand, some rubble and gorgonians, small, hard and soft corals, Tubastrea, sea whips, some black coral, sea fans, tunicates, sponges, some hydroids (Ref. 109919).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 September 2021 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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