Abstract
For the ecological study on the gobioid (Favonigobius gymnauchen), samples were collected in the Korean coasts from 1983 to 1995, and the process of ovarian maturation, spawning season, settling period of young individuals and growth were investigated with the specimens collected from Kunsan coast. The ovarian egg development of this species underwent three stages; growth stage from March to April, maturity stage from May to June and spawning stage in July. All the adults died after spawning in late July. Young individuals of total length 10 mm began to live a bottom life in the tide pool of shallow waters in early and middle August. The total length of these individuals reached about 42.1 mm (mean 36.7 mm) in late November. The largest specimen examined in this study was 85.0mm of male. After that time, individuals of this species inhabited in subtidal zone from December to May of the next year. The Favonigobius gymnauchen is distributed at 17 areas of shallow waters and estuaries in the western and southern coasts of Korea.