Periophthalmodon schlosseri, (Pallas, 1770)
The giant mudskipper (Periophthalmodon schlosseri) is a species of mudskipper native to the tropical shores of the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean where it occurs in marine, brackish and fresh waters. It is most frequently found along muddy shores in estuaries as well as in the tidal zones of rivers. It lives in burrows that it constructs in higher grounds of the intertidal zone, which are typically filled with both water and air. During warmer seasons, it is typically active outside of its burrow during low tide. It is an obligate air-breather and is capable of drowning without sufficient access to air, so it spends much of its life on land.
As its name suggests, the giant mudskipper is distinguishable by its larger size when compared to other mudskipper species. Males have been recorded to grow up to 27.5 cm (10.8 in) TL, while females have been found to grow up to 28.5 cm (11.2 in) TL. Typically, it is a yellow or greenish-brown color with light blue speckles on its side, but when disturbed or agitated, it will display a bold, black, and uninterrupted horizontal stripe that runs from its eye to its caudal peduncle.
This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. Aside from being sold at high values as a food source, mudskippers are also used in traditional medicines in Malaysia and parts of India.
The giant mudskipper can be found in intertidal mudflats and mangroves in Eastern India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Although giant mudskippers are more commonly found in areas close to mangroves, they can sometimes be found living in mudflats without any nearby mangroves as well.
The giant mudskipper is a generalist carnivore, with a preference for small crabs and fish. The giant mudskipper typically forages for prey that are close to its burrow, though it is not uncommon for them to explore out of the range of their burrows. It is an ambush predator, and upon discovering its prey, it will slowly follow it before ambushing it by leaping. It may also leap at prey while swimming. The giant mudskipper will then attempt to trap their prey using its tail, and once trapped, the giant mudskipper captures the prey within its mouth. Occasionally, they will even capture prey that are larger than their gape width, which they will repeatedly bite until they are subdued. After moving to a safe place to feed, they can also sometimes be seen playing with their food.
Spawning typically occurs twice a year, the first being from June to July, and the second being from October to November. This is attributed to the fact that the monsoon season occurs from April to October, providing the giant mudskipper ample access to food.
In addition to being used as a site of protection and rest, male giant mudskippers will also dig burrows to attract a single female, as they are a monogamous species. Females then will lay eggs on the roof or walls of the burrows, as the waters contained in these burrows are severely hypoxic and unfit for embryonic development. To aerate the broods, male giant mudskippers will continuously refresh the air during low tide by filling up their mouths with air and inserting it into their burrows.
As of 2017, the giant mudskipper is currently listed as being of Least Concern. However, declines in giant mudskipper populations can be seen due to factors such as overfishing, pollution, urbanization, and habitat destruction, with the latter two arguably being the biggest threats to the giant mudskipper. As a result of urbanization and habitat destruction, giant mudskippers can sometimes be found in more urban areas, where they have less access to food to eat and less vegetation to hide in. Additionally, even slight salinity changes have been found to result in more energy being used for osmoregulation, resulting in the giant mudskipper needing to rest more and consequently having less time to feed in these environments.
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