Periophthalmus | |
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Periophthalmus variabilis | |
Periophthalmus barbarus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Gobiiformes |
Family: | Oxudercidae |
Subfamily: | Oxudercinae |
Genus: | Periophthalmus Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801 |
Type species | |
Periophthalmus papilio Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801
| |
Synonyms | |
Euchoristopus Gill, 1863 |
Periophthalmus is a genus of fish in the family Oxudercidae that is native to coastal mangrove woods and shrubland in the Indo-Pacific region, except for P. barbarus, which lives on the Atlantic coast of Africa. It is one of the genera commonly known as mudskippers. Periophthalmus fishes are remarkable for using limited terrestrial locomotion and jumping to live temporarily out of water to feed on insects and small invertebrates. All Periophthalmus species are aggressive and territorial.[1]