Family : Gobiidae (Gobies) , subfamily: Gobiinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Flagfin prawn goby
Fish Name : Mahidolia mystacina
Max size : 8.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 5 - 20 m
Climate : tropical; 32°N - 20°S
Global Importance : aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to Delagoa Bay, Mozambique (Ref. 2798) and east to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan (?), south to northern Australia and Samoa.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 9-9. Head with blue or brown spots; body with 5-6 dark irregular crossbars (Ref. 2798). Males have elongate first dorsal fin and elongate jaws (Ref. 37816).
Biology : Occurs in silty coastal bays (Ref. 9710). Enters estuaries (Ref. 4343) and freshwater tidal zone habitats (Ref. 12693). Found on muddy bottom at the base of the reef at Toguan Bay, Guam. Uses the burrow of a mottled brown alpheid prawn with two or more short white saddles or spots. Lives coastal sand and mud habitats from shallow estuaries to moderate depths on slopes (Ref. 48637)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Myers, R.F.. 1991. (Ref. 1602)

India country information
Common Names : Smiling goby
Status : native
Salinity : brackish
Uses : no uses