Dr. Gerald (Gerry) Robert Allen, Australien
Info
This partner goby inhabits river mouths, sheltered bays, and lagoons on sandy or muddy bottoms in caves with Alpheus pistol shrimp, with which it lives in symbiosis.
The pistol shrimp is responsible for building and maintaining the shared burrow, while the goby guards it and signals to the pistol shrimp by touch to quickly retreat into the shared burrow in case of danger.
Myersina nigrivirgata is a whitish, light gray, or yellow to brown shrimp goby with a dark stripe along its side, bluish or orange spots on its head, light, narrow, indistinct bands on its sides, and a diffuse, dark spot the size of a pupil on the distal membrane between the fifth and sixth dorsal fin spines.
Synonym:
The species name “nigrivirgata” is composed of ‘nigra’ for black and “virgata” for striped and refers to the characteristic black lateral band of the partner goby.
The pistol shrimp is responsible for building and maintaining the shared burrow, while the goby guards it and signals to the pistol shrimp by touch to quickly retreat into the shared burrow in case of danger.
Myersina nigrivirgata is a whitish, light gray, or yellow to brown shrimp goby with a dark stripe along its side, bluish or orange spots on its head, light, narrow, indistinct bands on its sides, and a diffuse, dark spot the size of a pupil on the distal membrane between the fifth and sixth dorsal fin spines.
Synonym:
The species name “nigrivirgata” is composed of ‘nigra’ for black and “virgata” for striped and refers to the characteristic black lateral band of the partner goby.
