Pink Clingfish, Aspasmogaster costata (Ogilby 1885)


Other Names: Broad Clingfish, Eastern Clingfish

A Pink Clingfish, Aspasmogaster costata, at Clifton Gardens, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, November 2017. Source: John Sear / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A pinkish clingfish, with irregular darker bands across the body. The pelvic fins are united into a sucking disc which it uses to cling to the substrate.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Aspasmogaster costata in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4131

Pink Clingfish, Aspasmogaster costata (Ogilby 1885)

More Info


Distribution

Endemic to eastern Australia, from Julian Rocks to Nadgee Nature Reserve, southern New South Wales, and Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. This secretive clingfish often shelters under rocks, in crevices or behind sea urchins in depths to 20 m.

Etymology

The species is named costata (= ribbed) for "about 10 strongly marked vertical ridges on each side, caused by the contraction of the muscles after death, but not present in the living fish”.

Species Citation

Diplocrepis costatus Ogilby 1885, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 1 10(2): 270. Type locality: Shark Reef, Port Jackson, New South Wales.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2019

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Pink Clingfish, Aspasmogaster costata (Ogilby 1885)

References


Briggs, J.C. 1955. A monograph of the clingfishes (order Xenopterygii). Stanford Ichthyological Bulletin 6: 1-224. (in part as Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis)

Hutchins, J.B. 1984. Description of a new gobiesocid fish from south-western Australia, with a key to the species of Aspasmogaster. Records of the Western Australian Museum 11(2): 129-140 figs 1-5 

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp. 

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.

Ogilby, J.D. 1885. Description of a new Diplocrepis from Port Jackson. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1 10(2): 270-272. See ref at BHL

Whitley, G.P. 1931. New names for Australian fishes. The Australian Zoologist 6(4): 310-334 1 fig. pls 25-27 (as Parvicrepis (Volgiolus) costatus) See ref at BHL

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37206004

Depth:0-20 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:5 cm TL

Native:Endemic

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map