Gobiodon aoyagii Shibukawa, Suzuki & Aizawa 2013

This species is distinguished by the following characters: many reddish spots/stripes on a yellow-green or sky-blue body; when alive or freshly-collected, it differs from similar reddish-spotted/lined congeners, G. erythrospilus and G. histrio, by having the following unique coloration: 2 reddish circular spots (rather than linear spots) on pectoral-fin base (vs. reddish markings on pectoral-fin base usually forming vertical bars in G. erythrospilus and G. histrio, except for small specimens of the former with discontinuous bars); reddish spots on ventral surface of head (vs. none); reddish crescent-like bar along bases of pectoral fin rays absent (vs. present); in in alcohol-preserved specimens, all reddish spots are largely or entirely faded, but this species can be readily identified by having its unique squamation, i.e., 3-4 rows of weakly ctenoid and/or cycloid scales on caudal peduncle (vs. no scales or a single row of minute cycloid scales on caudal peduncle in the congeners); with a deep, inflected interopercular-isthmus groove; unsegmented caudal-fin rays, upper with 5-6, lower with 4-6; no distinct dusky spot at dorsoposterior corner of operculum (Ref. 94251).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 11; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 25 - 27

Observed in protected bays and reef edges and slopes of Japan, in the interstices among branches of corals of the genus Acropora. In Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef, it is reported to almost totally be confined to Acropora tenuis (Ref. 94251).