Hemigobius hoevenii and Mugilogobius tigrinus

About Hemigobius hoevenii and Mugilogobius tigrinus: 

• These species are goby fish that had not been recorded in Andhra Pradesh previously.
• This discovery is significant as M. tigrinus has been found along the eastern coastline of India for the first time.
• Habitat: Most gobies found in estuarine areas, especially around mangroves.
• Ecological Significance: They play an important role in the ecosystem. They occupy various levels in the food chain and can also serve as indicators of environmental health.
• Of the 135 goby species found along India's coasts, 95 species are recorded in Indian mangroves, with 53 species found in the Coringa wildlife sanctuary.

Key facts about Goby fish

• These are carnivorous species usually small in size, and found throughout the world. Especially abundant in the tropics, they are primarily marine in habit.
• Most species are bottom-dwellers and have a weak suction cup formed by the fusion of their pelvic fins.
• The majority of species belong to the family Gobiidae.
• These are typically elongated, sometimes scaleless fishes found along shores and among reefs in tropical and temperate seas.
• Gobies have the greatest impact on the benthic environment since most reside there. Gobies may be the keystone species in the freshwaters of small oceanic islands because they are often one of the few species of fish that exist in these areas.

Q.1 What are the examples of benthic microorganisms?

The name benthos means “depths of the sea”. Benthic microorganisms are almost exclusively microalgae and bacteria, but other others include: ciliates, amoebae, and flagellates.

Source: Two new goby fish species found in Coringa sanctuary