Photo by Jeff Corbett
Photo by Guido Zsilavecz.
Dark individual photographed at night. Photo by Guido Zsilavecz.
This fish occurs on both sides of the Peninsula, and is usually found on any sandy area, from close inshore to at least 15m depths. Where the sand allows the fish digs a burrow (as often seen at Long Beach), or otherwise it will dig under the edge of a rock or piece of wreckage, as seen about everywhere else. The fish may also be found on flat reefs, especially at night, at locations such as Sunny Cove. Barehead gobies are generally very shy, and will hide when approached too closely, darting quickly into their burrows.
Occasionally darker individuals may be found, especially at night and most often on a reef. I've seen such dark specimens go pale in a short time period.
See "Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay", available from SURG, for more details.
Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, a divers' identification guide, G Zsilavecz, 2005.
Smiths' Sea Fishes, MM Smith and PC Heemstra, 1986.
Two Oceans, A guide to the marine life of Southern Africa, GM Branch, CL Griffiths, ML Branch and LE Beckley, 1994.