Crystallogobius linearis Pelagic

Crystallogobius linearis (Düben, 1845) (Fig. 32)—Crystal Goby

Gobius linearis Düben, 1845: 111; type locality: eastern North Atlantic Sea, Norway, Bergen.

Size. Maximum known size of male 4.7 cm and of female 3.9 cm total length (Miller 1986).

Morphology. DII–III in male, 0 or rudimentary in female + I,18–20; A I,20–21; P 15–16 (Miller 1986). Pedomorphic habitus. Body laterally compressed, slender compared to other gobies. Eyes lateral, interorbital wide. Mouth superior, oblique, tip of lower jaw at the horizontal level of pupil. Caudal peduncle almost as deep as body. First dorsal fin reduced or absent. If present, distant from the second fin with a broad interdorsal space. Second dorsal fin low, long-based and with subequal ray lengths. Pelvic disc complete in male, reduced or lacking in female. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. Scales absent.

Live coloration. Body transparent to translucent white; a row of melanophores along anal-fin base; side of abdomen with the longitudinal row of 3–4 well defined tiny black spots; no triangular black spot at the base of caudal fin (Fig. 32).

Similar species. Aphia minuta.

Habitat. Nectonic, coastal to offshore in 400 m, over shell, sand, mud (Miller 1986).

Geographic distribution. Northeastern Atlantic, from the Strait of Gibraltar to the coasts of Norway, as well as in the Mediterranean, from the Alboran Sea to northeastern Aegean Sea including the Adriatic Sea (Miller 1986).