(Børsabergan - The Trondheim fjord / 6 meters / 11.25.2009)

Phylum: Chordata

Superclass: Gnathostomata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Gobiidae

Scientific name: Gobius niger

 

Norwegian: svartkutling

Distribution: The not-so-dark black goby is common as far north as The Trondheim fjord. It prefers sand or gravel and is often seen scouting from its hiding place under a rock or in a crevice. The black goby does not mind the low salinity near estuaries and is common in all the big fjords on the west coast. It has not been reported below a depth of 65 meters.

Characteristics:  This is by far the biggest goby in Norwegian waters, reaching a body length of 17 cm. The most obvious characteristic, besides the size, is that the fourth spine on the first dorsal fin is longer than the rest. Old males turn almost black, but brown with dark and bright spots are more common.

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