Spinecheek goby

Oplopomus oplopomus

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth1–15 m
Water temperature23–30 °C
Best monthsApril and September
How commonRare

About this species

Oplopomus oplopomus, commonly known as the spinecheek goby, is a species of goby native to the Indo-Pacific region. They can grow to a maximum length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). They inhabit coral reefs.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Oplopomus oplopomus”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 12 records
February: 3 records
March: 5 records
April: 22 records
May: 2 records
June: 6 records
July: 9 records
August: 6 records
September: 16 records
October: 7 records
November: 12 records
December: 3 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 1–15 m · Deepest record: 360 m

0–10 m: 53 records
10–20 m: 7 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 2 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 1 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 23–30 °C

22–24 °C: 1 records
24–26 °C: 2 records
26–28 °C: 65 records
28–30 °C: 53 records

Names and classification

English: Spinecheek goby, Pretty Lagoon-goby, Pretty Lagoon Goby, spinecheek goby, Spinecheek Goby

Names in 4 more languages

German: Trauerfahnen-Grundel
French: Gobie à joues épineuses, Gobie à préopercule armé
Japanese: Keshohaze, ケショウハゼ
Simplified Chinese: 刺蓋鰕虎魚, 蓋刺鰕虎

Other scientific names: Gobius oplopomus, Opolomus opolomus

Similar species

Common goby
Pomatoschistus microps
Black-chest Shrimp-goby
Amblyeleotris guttata
Steinitz' goby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi
Barred Shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris wheeleri
Banded Goby
Amblygobius phalaena
Bluespotted Goby
Asterropteryx semipunctata

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
234 open-data records from 1951 to 2023.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist