Lozano’s goby
Otolith description
Otoliths of gobiidae are all very similar in shape and are hard to identify to species level. The shape of the otoliths of Lozano’s goby is square. The sulcus is closed and runs diagonally. The ostium is slightly wider than the cauda. The cauda sits dorsally from the ostium. The surface of the inside, the outside and margins are smooth. There may be a small rostrum visible, which is rounded. The antirostrum is indistinct. The posterior margin is slightly lobate. The dorsal margin is rounded, while the ventral margin is straight. The inside of the otolith is flat and the outside convex. The otolith is thick. Otoliths of Lozano’s goby do not exceed 2.0 mm in length.
Otoliths of gobiidae are all very similar. Otoliths of transparent goby Aphia minuta and crystal goby Crystallogobius linearis are round instead of square and the inside of the otoliths is convex. In transparent goby the cauda is nearly visible. On otoliths of crystal goby the whole sulcus is indistinct. Otoliths of Lozano’s goby are relatively little indented at the anterior and posterior, compared to black goby Gobius niger, common goby Pomatoschistus microps, sand goby P. minutus and painted goby P. pictus.
When eroded the above-described differences disappear and are therefore not useful for identifying otoliths to species level. Eroded gobiidae otoliths are round with the sulcus slightly visible.
There is some difference in the maximum size of the fish and therefore in the otoliths:
crystal goby: <0.7 mm
transparent goby: <1.5 mm
common goby, Lozano’s goby: <2.0 mm
painted goby: <2.5 mm
sand goby: <3.0 mm
black goby: >3.0 mm
Fish length and distribution
Lozano’s goby can grow up to 8 cm. Lozano’s goby is a fish (POMALOZA.TIF) found in coastal waters up to 70 m in depth. It is mostly found on sandy bottoms. In winter it migrates to the deeper waters of the coastal zone (Nijssen and De Groot, 1987, Witte et al., 1991, Muus et al., 1999).
Lozano’s goby is not very common and found in the coastal waters of the European Atlantic and North Sea.
Sample origin
Western Wadden Sea.