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The Monster Shrimp Goby, also known as the Tomiyama Shrimp Goby (Tomiyamichthys oni), is a species of goby found in both Endless Ocean and Endless Ocean 2.

It is a small goby with a striking brown-grey-and-white pattern on its scales. It is usually found hiding away in a burrow in the seabed, where it may reside with a shrimp of some variety.

In-Game[]

Marine Encyclopedia[]

Endless Ocean[]

Description[]

"These animals have long skinny bodies with protruding eyes. They are generally grey in color with large white spots. They can be seen year-round in the sandy shallows of Manoa Lai.

They have a brown pattern on both sides of their bodies that runs from their eyes to their mouths. These patterns and colors differ depending on the environment the fish inhabits. They live in burrows on the sandy ocean floor and share a symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp. At night, they close off the entrance to their nests for extra protection.

They have sensory organs in their heads called pit organs that are used to sense the movement of prey and predators. These organs are small, nearly impossible to see even with the aid of a microscope."

Endless Ocean 2[]

Description[]

"This fish has slightly protruding eyes and brown patches on its sides. It has sensory organs called pit organs and sensory pipes in its head that help it to detect the movement of prey and predators. These organs are extremely small, almost impossible to see with the naked eye. Nesting in the sand, it forms a symbiotic relationship with certain types of shrimp."

Location[]

Endless Ocean[]

The monster shrimp goby is known in the first game as the Tomiyama shrimp goby. It can be seen, like many other kinds of goby, in sandy and shallow areas all around Manoa Lai, under zoom-mode glows. These locations include the sandier areas of Green Garden, the floor of the Entryway Slope, and the seafloor around Deep Valley, as well as the Rim Pool room of the Great Aqua Cave.

Endless Ocean 2[]

This creature can only be found in Gatama Atoll and only at coordinates F-6, exactly south of the island near the Private Reef Entrance. It is recommended that players who are having trouble finding it bring Oceana with them to aid in their search.

Behavior[]

The goby hides in a hole in the sand, often paired with a Randall's pistol shrimp, and switches between retreating into its hole and poking its head out to investigate its surroundings. It likes food, but if poked or petted it will flee into its home as fast as it can.

Gallery[]

Notes[]

Real-Life Information[]

  • Both games note that the monster shrimp goby forms a symbiotic relationship with certain species of shrimp. This much is true - one of the most common cohabitants of the monster shrimp goby is the tiger snapping shrimp, Alpheus bellulus (which does not appear in either Endless Ocean game)[1][2][3].
    • This symbiotic relationship is something seen in many species of goby. The goby keeps watch for potential threats, while the shrimp digs excess sand out of the burrow and keeps it free of debris[4].
    • While the tiger snapping shrimp doesn't appear in either Endless Ocean game, two other members of the genus Alpheus do - the goby shrimp, A. rapax, and Randall's pistol shrimp, A. randalli.
  • Both games speak of a type of sensory organ that the monster shrimp goby has, called pit organs. The majority of fish in the goby family have these pit organs, and they are indeed incredibly small[5]. The "sensory pipes" that the second game remarks upon are also present - the scientific term used is "preopercular [next to the gills] sensory canal"[6]. The presence of these sensory canals can be used to differentiate the monster shrimp goby from a close relative in the same genus, T. zonatus (which does not appear in either Endless Ocean game).
  • The monster shrimp goby's scientific name, Tomiyamichthys oni, reflects the "monster" part of its common name in the second half. An "oni" is a kind of monster, or "yokai", that appears frequently in Japanese folklore[7]. In Japanese, the common name is oni-haze - "haze" means "goby"[8].
    • Other common names for the Tomiyama or monster shrimp goby include mottled shrimpgoby, prawn goby, fan shrimpgoby, and gudgeon[2]. In German, it is called partnergrundel, which translates to "partner goby"[9].
    • The genus name, Tomiyamichthys, was chosen in honor of the scientist who first described T. oni - an ichthyologist from Tokyo Imperial University named Itiro Tomiyama[8].
    • The name "monster shrimp goby" is sometimes used to refer to the genus Tomiyamichthys as a whole[10].
  • The monster shrimp goby is sometimes kept in home aquariums, but rarely[11]. Aquarists are advised that it needs many hiding places to feel safe[12]. As well as this, it is known to make attempts to jump out of open tanks if it is stressed, so a lid is recommended for any aquarium it is kept in[13].

Navigation[]

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Sunset AnthiasFlying FishChub MackerelJapanese Jack MackerelJapanese Sardine
Antarctic SilverfishCapelinDusky RockcodBald NotothenSlender Bristlemouth


References[]

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