Head to head
Firefish Goby vs Watchman Goby
The firefish goby and watchman goby both live their lives around a burrow and retreat into it at the first sign of danger, but one shares that burrow with a mate of its own kind while the other shares it with a pistol shrimp.
| Firefish Goby | Watchman Goby | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Nemateleotris magnifica | Cryptocentrus (genus) |
| Fish group | A member of the dartfish family | A goby |
| Burrow partner | Its mated partner of the same species | A nearly blind pistol shrimp |
| Burrow upkeep | Shares a burrow with its partner | The shrimp digs and maintains the shared burrow |
| Escape response | Backs quickly tail-first into the burrow | Darts into the burrow, alerting the shrimp through antenna contact |
| Signalling | Raises a tall, flag-like first dorsal fin | Warns the shrimp by retreating toward the burrow |
| Habitat | Indo-Pacific reefs, often steep drop-offs | Indo-Pacific sandy reef flats |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Firefish Goby vs Watchman Goby: common questions
Who does each fish share its burrow with?
The firefish goby typically shares a burrow with its mated partner of the same species, while the watchman goby shares one with a nearly blind pistol shrimp.
How does each fish warn its partner of danger?
The firefish goby raises a tall dorsal fin and backs tail-first into the burrow, while the watchman goby darts toward the burrow, a movement the pistol shrimp feels through an antenna kept in contact with the goby.
Are the firefish goby and watchman goby closely related?
Despite the shared word goby, the firefish goby belongs to the dartfish family, so the two are only distantly related and have arrived at similar burrow-centred lifestyles.