Istigobius hoesei
Hoeses sand goby | Sloth Goby
Istigobius hoesei, adult, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Istigobius hoesei, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Ian Shaw
Istigobius hoesei, juvenile, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Istigobius hoesei, Port Stephens, NSW, Photo: Tom Davis
Istigobius hoesei, Sydney, NSW, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Istigobius hoesei, adult, Jervis Bay, NSW, Photo: Andrew Green
Istigobius hoesei, adult, Camp Cove, NSW (possibly sick!), Photo: John Turnbull
Similar Species
Distribution
Localised
Description
Pale body with brown and white spots, row of double and single dark dashes along body behind pectoral fin with white spots in between, dark scale edges creating reticulated pattern on back, oblique orange marks on cheek, dark boomerang-shaped mark under eye. I. decoratus (Decorated Sandgoby) and I. rigilius (Orangespotted Sandgoby) have dark double spots or dashes that are equal to or wider than white spots. Found on sand patches near reefs. Endemic to eastern Australia.
Information
Max Size: 6 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 15.5-24.6°C
Depth: 5-7m
Habitat Generalization Index: 4.07
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Not Evaluated
Occurrence: Common (42.1% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Many (11 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: Andrew Green