Identification
A sturdy goby of 8 to 12 cm with a triangular head and wide mouth. Named for its ability to rapidly change color: from light beige to dark brown or nearly black depending on substrate and mood. First dorsal fin often with a dark margin.
Ecology
Native to Japan, Korea, and China. Lives in harbors, estuaries, and brackish coastal waters on stones and hard substrates. Tolerates wide fluctuations in salinity and temperature.
In the Netherlands
An invasive exotic that has reached European harbors via ballast water and hull fouling. Expanding in the North Sea region. Color-changing makes identification challenging.
