Description: This goby reaches up to 9 cm in length and has a distinctive 'salt and pepper' speckled colouration. Scales are clearly visible but sensory papillae around the face are not which helps distinguish from Gobius niger. The rays in the dorsal fins are striped black and white and have black tips.

Habitat: Muddy sediments with cobbles and boulders, down to around 10 m or so, occasionally deeper. There are also records from algae-filled rockpools.

Distribution: Only recorded from southern England and south/southwest Ireland.

Similar Species: Should be readily distinguished in the field with some experience. Could potentially be confused with other gobies, particularly the black goby Gobius niger.

Key Identification Features:

• Speckled colouration.
• Clear scales but no sensory papillae.
• Dorsal fin rays striped black and white with black tips.

Distribution Map from NBN: Gobius couchi at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Gobius couchi at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Gobius couchi

WoRMS: Gobius couchi at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Gobius couchi Miller & El-Tawil, 1974. AphiaID: 126887.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Chordata; Vertebrata; Gnathostomata; Osteichthyes; Actinopterygii; Actinopteri; Teleostei; Gobiiformes; Gobiidae; Gobiinae; Gobius