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Atlantic Mudskipper

Periophthalmus barbarus

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth0–46 m
  • Water temperature22–29 °C
  • Best monthsApril, May, and December
  • How commonOccasional
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About this species

The Atlantic mudskipper is a species of mudskipper native to fresh, marine, and brackish waters of the tropical Atlantic coasts of Africa, including most offshore islands. The Greek scientific name Periophthalmus barbarus is named after the eyes that provide the Atlantic mudskipper with a wide field of vision. The Atlantic mudskipper is a member of the genus Periophthalmus, which includes oxudercine gobies that have one row of canine-like teeth.

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

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 2 records
  • February: 1 records
  • March: 3 records
  • April: 6 records
  • May: 9 records
  • June: 4 records
  • July: 6 records
  • August: 6 records
  • September: 2 records
  • October: 1 records
  • November: 4 records
  • December: 7 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–46 m · Deepest record: 45.7 m

  • 0–10 m: 3 records
  • 10–20 m: 1 records
  • 20–30 m: 0 records
  • 30–40 m: 0 records
  • 40–50 m: 1 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 22–29 °C

  • 22–24 °C: 2 records
  • 24–26 °C: 22 records
  • 26–28 °C: 23 records
  • 28–30 °C: 33 records

Names and classification

English
Atlantic Mudskipper, Jumbo Fish, Mud-hopper, mudskipper, Mud-skipper
Names in 4 more languages
German
Afrikanischer Schlammspringer, Schlammspringer, Schmetterlings-schlammspringer
Spanish
Saltafango Atlántico, Saltarín del fango del Atlántico
French
Périophthalme, Sauteur De Vase Atlantique
Simplified Chinese
大西洋彈塗魚, 奇彈塗魚, 奇彈塗魚 (mandarin Chinese)

Other scientific names: Gobius barbarus, Gobius koelreuteri, Peiophthalmus erythronemus, Periophtalmus barbarus, Periophtalmus barbatus, Periophtalmus koelrenteri, Periophtalmus koelreuteri, Periophtalmus koelruteri, Periophtalmus papilio, Periophthalmus barbarous, Periophthalmus erythronemus, Periophthalmus erythronotus, Periophthalmus gabonicus, Periophthalmus koelreuteri, Periophthalmus papilio, Periophthalmus papillon, Periopthalmus barbarus

Similar species

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).
  • 356 open-data records from 1770 to 2015.

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