Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Gobiidae (Gobies) > Gobiinae
Etymology: Istigobius: Greek, istios = sail + Latin, gobius = gudgeon (Ref. 45335); maleta: Name 'maleta' in honor of Maleta Duke, a longtime staff member of the M.V. Chertan live-aboard dive vessel, for his contributions to the survey activities at Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. A noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 12 - 45 m (Ref. 138626). Tropical
Indo-West Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 138626); 4.2 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: predorsal fully scaled, scales entirely cycloid, except ctenoid row immediately above operculum; anterior naris forming short tube, situated midway between eye and upper lip; suborbital relatively narrow about equal to pupil diameter; prepelvic area covered with large cycloid scales, extending nearly to level of posterior margin of eye; a distinct brown stripe across middle of cheek in live and preserved specimens; midside of body with five large rectangular dark spots in live and preserved specimens; and numerous orange spots on sides, dorsal fins, and caudal fin of live specimens (Ref. 138626).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: oval.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann, 2024. Appendix: Descriptions of twenty-four new species of reef fishes from the East Indian region. pp. 1270-1367. In Reef Fishes of the East Indies (2nd ed., Vol. 3). Tropical Reef Research. (Ref. 138626)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804) |
PD50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high]. |
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Bayesian length-weight
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a=0.00741 (0.00346 - 0.01589), b=3.09 (2.91 - 3.27), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245). |
Trophic level (Ref. 69278) |
3.2 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives |
Resilience (Ref. 120179) |
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.). |
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153) |
Low vulnerability (10 of 100). 🛈 |