Endangered Species

Tidewater Goby

Scientific Name: Eucyclogobius newberryi

Status: E

The Tidewater Goby is a small, 2-inch long, bottom-dwelling fish with large fins, a ventral sucker and a large mouth. The species feeds on a wide variety of small organisms like crabs, shrimp, smaller crustaceans, mollusks, insects and the eggs of various invertebrates and fish.

Habitat: Small coastal lagoons, lower reaches of streams and uppermost portions of large bays. Most abundant in the upper ends of lagoons created by small coastal streams.

Threats: Severe salinity changes and tidal fluctuations result in population declines. Degradation of coastal lagoons by dredging, pollution, suburban development of surrounding lands, and coastal road construction Additional factors are drought, introduced predatory fishes, and the fact that gobies are easily trampled by people walking through mudflats at low tide.

In 1999, the US Fish & Wildlife Service proposed that the Tidewater Goby be removed from the US list of endangered and threatened wildlife, except in Orange and San Diego Counties; this proposal is currently under consideration.

To Learn More:

• CalPhotos Database - University of California, Berkeley
  Browseable photographs of the species.
• NatureServe Explorer
  Enter species name in the search box to access a detailed description of habitat, behavior, current conservation status, ecological and distribution data with citations to relevant management reports.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  Documents describing protection for the species under the Endangered Species Act. General information about the species plus plans to protect it and assist in its recovery.