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Mudskipper  -   Boleophthalmus caeruleomaculatus,  Scartelaos histophorus, Periophthalmus

Mudskippers are fish adapted to breathe air instead of water with their gills, with special blood vessels inside their mouth and through their thin skin. While the soft mud flats are exposed they live around their deep burrows dug by themselves or mantis shrimps, hiding in the burrows if seagulls or other birds come too close. Occasionally they dip into the water-filled holes to wet their gills and scaleless skin. Mudskippers use their specially shaped side fins to hold them upright on the mud and to walk across the mud. They can jump using their tail and move rapidly over the soft, wet mud. During high tide mudskippers remain in their burrows avoiding predators. Three mudskipper species are found around Broome: The mangrove mudskipper - Periophthalmus species - lives in mangroves and climbs the trees; it is reportedly not frightened of people. The bearded mudskipper - Scartelaos histophorus - lives on the mud (bottom photograph). This lightly built mudskipper can be recognised by a long erect first dorsal fin that is raised as a pennant. The blue-spotted mudskipper - Boleophthalmus caeruleomaculatus - lives on the mud (upper photograph). This more heavily built mudskipper has blue spots on the brown body. Its first dorsal fin is about as long as it is tall and sticks up like a sail. The second dorsal fin extends along the rear half of the body towards the tail.

Information. ¶  Life on land's edge - Wildlife on the shores of Roebuck Bay, Broome. pub. Department of Conservation and Land Management, 2003. Page 80.

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