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Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless credited to others.
Copyright © Ecology Asia 2025

 
     
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

   
   
 
Flathead Gudgeon  -  Butis humeralis
   

Fig 1


Fig 2
 


Fig 3
 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Order : Perciformes
Family : ELEOTRIDAE
Species : Butis humeralis
Maximum Length : 14.2 cm

Butis humeralis (Flathead Gudgeon) inhabits estuarine and mangrove habitats.

The example shown here was photographed in shallow, calm water at the edge of a large area of mangrove on the island of Semakau, south of Singapore; the distinctive banded lips and black flecks on the flanks and side of the head can clearly be seen.

Fishbase describe this species as amphidromous, which refers to species that may migrate between freshwater and marine habitats (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding.

This species is recorded from the Marina Basin, lying immediately south of the city of Singapore; this was once an expanse of shallow coastal habitat, but was converted to a freshwater reservoir in 2008 by the construction of a barrage. Tan et al (2010) located Butis humeralis in the area prior to its conversion; they categorised it as a species that "may survive (in freshwater) but not breed if access to the marine environment is restricted".  

Butis humeralis occurs in the Indo-west Pacific, ranging at least from the eastern coast of India to the Philippines, eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Fig 1 : Example from Singapore, at the edge of mangrove habitat on Pulau Semakau.

Fig 3 : Mangrove habitat at Pulau Semakau, Singapore.


References :

Larson, H.K. and Lim, K.P. 1997. A Guide to Gobies of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre.


Tan Heok Hui, Martyn E. Y. Low and Kelvin Lim Kok Peng. (2010). Fishes of the Marina Basin, Singapore, before the erection of the Marina Barrage. The Raffles Bulletin of \Zoology, 58(1), 137-144.


Links :

Fishbase - Butis humeralis