Painted goby
(Pomatoschistus pictus)
General data
Scientific names:
Painted goby
Habitat:
Saltwater
Climate:
Temperate
Native to coast of:
Europe
The painted goby (Pomatoschistus pictus) is a small goby of Western European waters from Trondheim Fjord to Spain, the Canary Islands and is sometimes reported in the Mediterranean Sea. Also mentioned in the Black Sea.
It lives at depths from 1 to 55 metres (3.3 to 180.4 ft), preferring a gravelly or sandy environment. Its young may sometimes be found in tide pools. It feeds on amphipods and copepods.
The painted goby is a relatively small goby, only growing to 6 cm in length, although some may grow to 9.5 cm. It is fawn-brown, with a row of four double dark brown spots along the sides. The dorsal fin has rows of dark brown-black spots interspersed with bands of iridescent blue and pink.
