mudskipper; mudspringer
A species of amphibious fish (Periophthalmus cantonensis) found in tidal mudflats, known for its ability to skip across mud and climb onto land.
I saw mudskippers hopping on the tidal flat.
Katakana spelling is common for this species name; usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and may not be widely recognized; the second character is a hyōgaiji.
The name トビハゼ (跳鯊) literally means 'jumping goby', from 跳び (tobi, 'jumping') + 鯊 (haze, 'goby'). The exact derivation is uncertain, but it describes the fish's distinctive skipping behavior.