goby

Small marine bony fish. Nearly all gobies are found in the shallow coastal waters of the temperate and tropical oceans. Gobies can change sex in order to mate if a member of the opposite sex is not available. Females more readily change to males than males to females.

The first dorsal fin consists of a few flexible spines and the second dorsal fin is opposed to the anal fin. The caudal fin is generally rounded, with the pelvic fins united to form a cup-shaped sucker.

Classification Gobies are in the family Gobiidae, order Perciformes, class Osteichthyes.

In 2005 the coral pygmy goby (Eviota sigillata) was identified as the world's shortest-lived vertebrate, with an average lifespan of only 59 days. It is also the world's smallest and fastest-maturing vertebrate.