Transparent goby

Lore & Background

The transparent goby is a small, pelagic fish that lives in inshore waters and estuaries, often over sandy or muddy bottoms and among eelgrass beds. It reaches a total length of 7.9 cm. A fossil relative, †Aphia macrophthalma, is known from the Middle Miocene of Serbia, indicating the genus has ancient origins.

In Spain, the fish is known as chanquetes and is traditionally deep-fried, served with fried eggs and roasted or fried bell pepper in Andalusian, Catalan, and Valencian cuisines. In Italy, it is part of Italian cuisine. Due to its high price and protected species status in Spain, it is often replaced by East Asian noodlefishes such as Neosalanx tangkahkeii and Protosalanx, sometimes fraudulently.

Reader's Guide

The transparent goby holds notable significance in local commercial fisheries across its range, particularly in the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Its culinary value is especially pronounced in Spain, where it is a traditional ingredient in Andalusian, Catalan, and Valencian cuisines, served deep-fried with accompaniments. In Italy, it is also used in Italian cuisine. The species' high price and protected status in Spain have led to the common substitution of East Asian noodlefishes, a practice that is sometimes open but also occurs fraudulently. As the only extant member of its genus, Aphia minuta represents a unique evolutionary lineage, with a fossil relative from the Middle Miocene of Serbia providing a glimpse into its deep history. Its pelagic lifestyle and preference for shallow, vegetated habitats make it a distinctive goby, unlike many benthic relatives.

Did You Know?

• The transparent goby is the only living species in its genus, Aphia.
• It is found from Trondheim, Norway to Morocco, and in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Sea of Azov.
• In Spain, it is called chanquetes and is traditionally deep-fried with eggs and bell peppers.