Fish
Rock Goby
Gobius paganellus
Under a boulder at low tide, a rock goby grips the stone with its sucker fins, waiting for the sea to return.
Overview
The rock goby, Gobius paganellus, is a Least Concern goby of rocky shores and rock pools from the British Isles to Morocco and the Mediterranean. Its sucker-like pelvic fins, mottled camouflage, and guarding fathers make it one of the most characteristic fish of the lower shore.
A fish with a built-in suction cup
By fusing its pelvic fins into a sucker disc, the rock goby can hold on to rock in the face of waves and surge that would sweep away a less well-anchored fish.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common.
Rock Goby: common questions
How does the rock goby cling to rocks?
Its pelvic fins are joined into a sucker disc, which it uses to cling to rocks in surge and currents, and when the tide is out.
Who guards the rock goby's eggs?
The male guards eggs laid on the roof or sides of a crevice or the underside of a stone.
How big is the rock goby?
It is usually around 10 to 12 cm long.
Where is the rock goby found?
It lives on rocky shores and in rock pools from the British Isles south to Morocco and into the Mediterranean.