Aphia minuta (Risso, 1810)

Common Name and Classification

Aphia minuta, commonly known as the transparent goby, is a species of goby.

Geographic Range

It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Trondheim, Norway to Morocco, and is also found in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Sea of Azov.

Habitat Type

This is a pelagic species that lives in inshore waters and estuaries.

Depth Range

It occurs at depths from the surface down to 97 metres (318 ft), and is most commonly found between 5 and 80 metres (16 and 262 ft) deep.

Substrate and Vegetation Habitat

It lives over sandy and muddy bottoms, and also lives in eelgrass beds.

Maximum Size

This species grows to a maximum total length of 7.9 centimetres (3.1 inches).

Commercial Importance

It is an important species for local commercial fisheries.

Extant Genus Status

At present, it is the only confirmed extant member of the genus Aphia.

Fossil Relative

A fossil related species, †Aphia macrophthalma Schwarzhans et al., 2016, has been found in Middle Miocene deposits in Serbia.