Oxyurichthys omanensis Zarei, Al Jufaili & Esmaeili, 2022
Oman’s eyebrow goby

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobionellinae
Max. size:  6.33 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Endemic to Oman.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-12; Anal spines: 12-13. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: tentacle on dorsoposterior surface of the eye elongated; nape with well-developed membranous crest; nape scaled to above anterior half of opercle along sides with naked median along membranous crest, scales do not reach to above preopercle; opercle and pectoral base are naked; scales ctenoid laterally on trunk posterior to base of second dorsal fin 3rd element; lateral scale rows 51-58, often 51-56; transverse forward scale rows 23-29, usually 24-28; transverse rearward scale rows 14-16, usually 14-15; upper lip is usually constricted at premaxillary symphysis; infraorbital transverse papillae row 2 reaching eye margin dorsally and markedly short of longitudinal row d ventrally; with additional short transverse papillae rows between rows 2 and 3i; with dark saddle over caudal peduncle; snout length 34.9-45.4% HL; second dorsal-fin longest ray 1.1-1.6 head depth; pelvic fin is always reaching or passing anal-fin origin (Ref. 128815).
Biology:  Occurs on shallow mudflat at Yeti, near the mouth of Wadi Aday (Muscat Area, northern Oman), which drains into the Gulf of Oman. Associated with the following species: Favonigobius reichei, Cryptocentroides arabicus, Planiliza klunzingeri and Terapon jarbua (Ref. 128815).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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