Living around the water all my life, it is only natural that I have picked up some of the local names for fish. If there is one thing I have learned lately, it is that some of those local names are not too correct. If you really get into looking at the taxonomy of sea critters, it can get a tad confusing when what you have always called a "cigar fish" is actually a goby and that name applies to a whole different species. The same with our "sardines". They are not the sardines that you find in the can but are menhaden. That said, I am now taking the time to at least learn some of the proper names of the fish that I see just about on a daily basis. A nice, young man named Andre works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA and is an expert in fish identification. While I do not know the young man personally, he has taken the time on many occasions to give me the proper name of a critter. This evening, he came to my rescue once again with loads of information. Not only did he identify the fish, he told of a study that involves one of my questionable species. It is nice to know there are still helpful people in this old world.
This evening as I was out catching mullet for Moe, the heron, I also caught two lovely fish that did not make it to his dinner platter. A goby and a lizard fish were photographed then released. While I had an inkling about each of these, I had questions. First the IDs were established. Yep, instead of what I had been told by others, my goby is a "Naked Goby" (Gobiosoma bosca). It is very common in the northern parts of the Gulf of Mexico and, obviously, the Bayou. Andre answered a question that has been puzzling me for a bit. Why do gobies have blue sparkles in their mouth? Andre explained that this was to attract prey. Smaller fish literally swim into the mouth of the goby. Well, that makes sense to me. I guess every critter has to have some secret to survive.
The Inshore Lizard Fish (Synodus foetens) is also rather common in the northern part of the Gulf but usually stays more in the waters with sandy bottoms and rarely makes an appearance in the muddy bottoms of places like the Bayou. I asked if this fish would literally take a hunk out of my hand as it seems to be a bit aggressive and has lots (LOTS) of teeth. The answer..."You would be advised to keep the fingers clear of the mouth area." Enough said. Obviously, the lizard fish might just snap at me! This is the fish that the biologists at NOAA are studying at the moment. The scientists are tracking the fish, examining the contents of the stomachs and observing the overall health of the lizard fish. Andre said he appreciated me letting him know that one was caught and released all the way up in the Bayou. Maybe my little lizard fish will make mention in some big study now! Thanks to Andre, I now can feel somewhat better about these two fish!
Several years ago, I caught a rather weird looking fish in the net. Growing up, I had been told this was a certain type of fish and I never questioned it. But now, it is a different story. I question things. I found out that some fifty years of calling the fish a Cigarfish was naught but folly. This was no Cigarfish. My "expert" fish identifier informed me that this was a Goby. Yes! Ok, so what is a Goby? I pondered the fact. This expert went so far as to label the fish as a "Violet Goby". Ok. Pretty name for a rather nondescript fish if it was supposed to be violet. Still, I took his word for it since he was my "expert". Then a kind reader was so gracious about correcting the name for me. The reader informed me that my critter was, indeed, a Goby but not of the violet sort. My Goby friend was a Highfin Goby. Wow! The reader also explained a bit about how Highfin Gobies range from the Alabama Coast all the way to Brazil. Needless to say, I was thrilled with the information. I can proudly say that I know the name of the fishy!
Now another Goby has made an appearance via the net. This one did its duty and stayed rather motionless for me while I snapped a few photos. I was even able to get a nice closeup of its face. What a cutie! Sort of...if you like weird fish faces. I do. Fish and other critters fascinate me so I think they are all rather cute....in a critter sort of way.
I am supposing that this is another of the same sort of Goby...a Highfin Goby. I may have been calling it by the wrong name for years and years but at least now I know it is a Goby. After a few photographs, my new found friend was slipped back into the water. Swim, Little Goby, swim! You are free! Thank you for visiting!
