Scientific Name
Pandaka pygmaea

Common Name
Dwarf pygmy goby

Biology
This is one of the smallest freshwater fishes: males are mature at 9 mm, females at 15 mm. The species used to frequent shady river banks in the Malabon River, Rizal Province, Luzon, Philippines; however, the type locality has been reclaimed and the remaining waters in the area are heavily polluted; the species is considered extinct in the Philippines (Rainer Froese, pers. comm., 2004). It has been apparently imported into Germany in 1958; a color photo of the fish was taken in an aquarium (Ref. 2060). Found in brackish waters and mangrove areas of Indonesia (M. Kottelat, pers. comm.).

Classification

Classified By

Herre, 1927

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Gobies (Gobiidae)

Distribution

Region

Asia

Distribution

Asia: Indonesia and Philippines. Originally reported from the Malabon River, Rizal, Philippines, which has meanwhile been reclaimed. According to Ref. 6216 it has also been collected in the sea at Culion Island, off Palawan, Philippines. Recently collected in Bali (1991), Sulawesi (1988), and Singapore (1992), M. Kottelat, pers. comm.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

30 °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; ; pH range: 7.0 - 8.4; dH range: ? - 30 demersal; amphidromous (Ref. 46888)

Trophic Level

2.94 s.e. 0.37 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

1.1 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (10 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Critically Endangered (CR) (A1ace)