ASFB and ASL 2014* Biomonitoring in Victorian estuaries using the Eastern blue spot goby, Pseudogobius sp. (#164)
The Eastern blue spot goby, Pseudogobius sp. is a small benthic species native to south-eastern Australia. It is abundant and widely distributed throughout Victorian estuaries and as such may be a valuable indicator species for determining differences in environmental ‘health’ among estuaries. Here we describe differences in size and condition of gobies collected from a range of Victorian estuaries that differ in their levels of anthropogenic impact and surrounding land use. Collection sites ranged from pristine conditions to ones impacted by waste water discharge or influenced by urban or agricultural development. Based on gonad histopathology we observed differences in reproductive stage, degenerative changes in the gonads as well as the first observation of intersex in this species. This work demonstrates the merits of using blue spot gobies as a model species for biomonitoring and ecological research in the context of estuarine environmental assessment.
