Giant Mudskipper

Scientific Name: Periophthalmodon schlosseri

This is the largest species of mudskippers native to Malaysia. It can grow up to 27 cm long and mainly inhabits the mangrove forest where it feeds on small crabs and fi shes. When the tide is low, you can easily spot them on the mudflat at the jetty to Sky Mirror Shoal.

Giant mudskipper excavates burrow on muddy ground for nesting. The opening is wide and the vertical tunnel runs 1 metre deep and then loops up into a chamber. The mudskipper will gulp mouthfuls of air and blow it into the chamber to increase the oxygen level in the oxygen-defi cient environment for its eggs to hatch.

Mudskippers are fish. In addition to breathing with gills, they can also breathe with moist skin, or store water in gill chambers, and absorb oxygen from water with oral mucosa. Therefore, they need to wet their body constantly in the puddles to refi ll water in the gill chambers.