The patterns of head lateral line sensory papillae (free neuromast organ) in Indo-Pacific “bumble-bee” gobies currently placed in Brachygobius suggest that Hypogymnogobius Bleeker should be revived for its type species Gobius xanthozona Bleeker, 1849, which has numerous transverse rows of head papillae in contrast to the abbreviate pattern seen in the type of Brachygobius (Gobius doriae Günther, 1868), and other species. Relationships of the genera are briefly discussed.