CRAB-EYED GOBIES
(signigobius biocellatus)
Otherwise known as the Twin-spot Goby, Signal Goby or Four-eyed Goby, this species is native to the Western Pacific region and is found in inshore coral reef areas around the top end of the Australian continent from north-western Western Australia to the Great Barrier Reef. It is currently the only known member of its genus signigobius, and lives amongst seafloor rubble to a maximum depth of 30 metres. The gobies live in pairs, and help one another excavate and maintain home burrows beneath the substrate, which they clean constantly and actively defend from intruders. They are busy, argumentative characters, often seen head-butting and jostling with one another as they perform their chores.
Above: Crab-eyed gobies live in pairs, in burrows under the sand. They busily excavate their burrows all day long, removing debris with their mouths and spitting it out the doorway. You will often see them arguing as they do their housework… just like human children!
