Species · GBIF taxon 2376955
Barred Mudskipper
Periophthalmus argentilineatusAlso known as Silverlined Mudskipper, Silver-lined Mudskipper
Barred mudskippers spend the vast majority of their active lives entirely out of the water, crawling across exposed tidal silt using muscular, elbow-like pectoral fins. They breathe on land by retaining water in specialized gill chambers while simultaneously absorbing oxygen through their vascularized skin. Territorial adults defend feeding plots around deep, water-filled mud burrows, flashing brightly patterned dorsal fins at rivals during falling tides.
AmphibiousMangroveIntertidal
1 / 5—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Fiddler crabs
- Insects
- Polychaete worms
Predators
- Herons
- Water snakes
- Kingfishers
ThreatsMangrove clearing, coastal land reclamation, and estuary pollution
HabitatsMangrove swamps, tidal mudflats, and brackish estuaries
Life span3–5 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyGobiidae
- GenusPeriophthalmus
- SpeciesPeriophthalmus argentilineatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Tidal Timing: Visit mangrove boardwalks at low tide when mudflats emerge and fish actively forage and display.
- Stealthy Approach: Tread lightly along the bank, as sudden footsteps create ground vibrations that send them skipping into burrows.
Habitat Partner Colin Trainor / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Samuel Lee, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ian Dugdale, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ian Dugdale · cc-by
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