Asterropteryx ensifera (Bleeker, 1874)
Miller's damsel
Bia
photo by Honeycutt, K.

Family:  Gobiidae (Gobies), subfamily: Gobiinae
Max. size:  3 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 6 - 40 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Seychelles and Madagascar east to Marshall and Society islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to northern Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 9-9. Characterized by dark brown color with blue spots on head, body and fins; prolonged third dorsal spine, forms long filament in adult; longitudinal scale series 24; ctenoid scales; scaled cheek and opercle; corner of preopercle with single broad based spine, length about half of two-thirds pupil diameter; rounded caudal fin; depth of body 2.7-3.1 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Found on coral rubble (Ref. 43239). Collected from river mouths (Ref. 559). Feeds on zooplankton (Ref. 37816). Usually occurs in large colonies that cover extensive zones of rubble (Ref 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 11 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Also Ref. 1602.


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