Order Perciformes Family Gobiidae(Gobies) Decorated goby Istigobius decoratus(Herre, 1927). 13.0 cm TL D/spines 7, soft rays 10-11. A/spines 1, soft rays 9-11. Vertebrae/26.
Distribution; Indo-West Pacific/Persian Gulf and Red Sea to Samoa, south to Lord Howe Island, north to Taiwan. General; Color highly variable, brownish on upper half, grading to white below; dark brown scale margins forming honeycomb pattern and midlateral row of double dark brown spots forming rectangular markings; segmented and non branching caudal rays 3(rarely 2), branching 14(rarely 15). Predorsal cycloid scales 7-10, trunk ctenoid. Few with no black spots on nape. Isthmus narrow, scaled forward to vertical at posterior part of preoperculum. 2 diagonal, dusky lines on operculum; an inverted U-shaped spot prominent at the distal end of upper jaw. Pectoral fin with small dusky spots; 2 longitudinal lines on pectoral base spreading onto it fin rays. Sexual dimorphism exhibited in anal, pelvic and 2nd dorsal fin. A common species that inhabits areas of coralline sand of clear lagoon and seaward reefs. Depth range 1-25m. Found singly. Genital papilla of male sometimes darkly pigmented and reaching to side of anal spine. Female genital papilla truncate, ending well before origin of anal fin.
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