Emerald Coral Goby
Paragobiodon xanthosoma
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Gobiiformes
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Genus
- Paragobiodon
- Species
- Paragobiodon xanthosoma
The emerald coral goby (Paragobiodon xanthosoma) is a small, greenish-yellow goby that lives deep within branching corals. Its rounded head and soft green colour help it blend with its coral home.
It grows to about 3-4 cm and lives in pairs inside Seriatopora and similar corals. It rarely leaves the shelter of the branches, feeding on plankton and tiny invertebrates.
The emerald coral goby is found across the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is a common but easily overlooked resident of shallow coral reefs.