Gobius incognitus Kovačić & Šanda, 2016
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Gobius incognitus, the incognito goby or anemone goby, is a species of goby native to the Mediterranean Sea and perhaps the Black Sea. The name incognitus means "unknown" in Latin and refers to the long period of time that passed before this common and widespread species was recognized and described. Prior to its description, it was confused with Bucchich's goby (G. bucchichi), a species that now appears to be restricted to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and perhaps the Black Sea. Much previously published information for Bucchich's goby is now considered to actually be for the incognito goby.
The incognito goby typically reaches a length of 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in), and feeds on small invertebrates and algae. The incognito goby is found at the bottom from shallow water to a depth of 12 m (39 ft). It is often associated with the sea anemone Anemonia sulcata, hiding amongst its tentacles when threatened. Juveniles are typically found with sea urchins.
Wikipedia contributors, Gobius incognitus; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T22:39:33.039940+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Gobius incognitus Kovačić & Šanda, 2016
- Name authority
- Kovačić & Šanda, 2016
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Gobiiformes
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Genus
- Gobius
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderGobiiformes
- familyGobiidae Cuvier, 1816
- subfamilyGobiinae Cuvier, 1816
- genusGobius Linnaeus, 1758
- speciesGobius incognitus Kovačić & Šanda, 2016
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Gobius. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Gobius ater Bellotti, 1888 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius bucchichi Steindachner, 1870 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| red-mouthed gobyGobius cruentatus Gmelin, 1789 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius geniporus Valenciennes, 1837 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius kolombatovici Kovačić & Miller, 2000 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius rubropunctatus Delais, 1951 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius scorteccii Poll, 1961 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius senegambiensis Metzelaar, 1919 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius strictus Fage, 1907 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius tetrophthalmus Brito & Miller, 2001 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius vittatus Vinciguerra, 1883 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Gobius xanthocephalus Heymer & Zander, 1992 | GobiidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Kovačić, M., & Šanda, R. (2016). A new species of Gobius (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the Mediterranean Sea and the redescription of Gobius bucchichi. Journal of Fish Biology, 88. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12883 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3GPV3. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.