Periophthalmus is a genus of fish in the family Oxudercidae, native to coastal mangrove wood and shrubland in the Indo-Pacific region, except for P. barbarus from the Atlantic coast of Africa. It is one of the genera commonly known as mudskippers. Periophthalmus fishes are remarkable for being able to live, temporarily, in open air where they feed on insects and small invertebrates; out of water they have limited motion abilities, such as jumping. All Periophthalmus species are aggressive and territorial.[1]
Periophthalmus | |
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Periophthalmus variabilis | |
Periophthalmus barbarus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Gobiiformes |
Family: | Oxudercidae |
Subfamily: | Oxudercinae |
Genus: | Periophthalmus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 |
Type species | |
Periophthalmus papilio Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
| |
Synonyms | |
Euchoristopus Gill, 1863 |
There are currently 19 recognized species in this genus[1]