Grass Clingfish, Genus C sp 1 [in Gomon et al, 2008]


Grass Clingfish (Genus C sp. 1) at Rye, Port Phillip, Victoria, November 2018. Source: Rebecca Lloyd / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A small undescribed greenish, brownish to reddish-brown clingfish with a row of small black spots along the lower 2/3 of body; back sometimes transparent with a row of brown spots and blotches along midline; a whitish irregular stripe and blotches sometimes low on body; dorsal and anal fins brown to green, with paler markings in females; brownish line sometimes on side of snout, through eye to rear of gill cover.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Genus C sp 1 [in Gomon et al, 2008] in Fishes of Australia, accessed 30 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/5299

Grass Clingfish, Genus C sp 1 [in Gomon et al, 2008]

More Info


Distribution

Endemic to southern Australia from Port Phillip to south-western Western Australia. Inhabits seagrass beds and adjacent rocky reefs.

Features

Dorsal fin 7-11; Anal fin 9-13; Caudal fin (approx) 10-12; Pectoral fin 20-22; Pelvic fin I, 4: Vertebrae 33-36.
Body moderately elongate; caudal peduncle obvious but short. Head slightly depressed;  snout of moderate length, triangular in dorsal view with pointed tip; eyes of moderate size; lips narrow; mouth small, reaching to below front part of eye, lower jaw slightly shorter than upper; teeth small, conical;  no spine laterally on head; gill openings large, lateral.  
No scales or lateral line; some sensory papillae on sides.  
Single moderately short dorsal fin near but distinctly separated from caudal fin; anal fin similar to and opposite dorsal, neither fin with anterior rays swollen at base; caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fin rounded, no fleshy pad on lower portion of base. Pelvic fins united into a small ventral sucking disc, consisting of anterior and posterior halves, posterior edge with fleshy fringe. Gravid females with a conspicuously swollen body.

Colour

Greenish with a band of small black spots along lower two-thirds of body which persist in preserved specimens; back sometimes transparent with line of brown spots along midline; whitish irregular stripe sometimes present along lower side of body; dorsal and anal fins green with paler markings; brownish line sometimes on side of snout, through eye to opercular border.
Colour differences between the sexes are most obvious during the winter breeding season, with females developing a distinctive piebald appearance of pale and dark blotches. 

Author

Bray, D.J. 2018

Grass Clingfish, Genus C sp 1 [in Gomon et al, 2008]

References


Hutchins, J.B. 1994. Family Gobiesocidae, in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. 992 pp.

Hutchins, J.B. 2008. Family Gobiesocidae. pp. 722-741 in Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H (eds) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37206027

Behaviour:Reef associated, seagrass & marcroalgae

Depth:1-10 m

Max Size:3.5 cm TL

Native:Endemic

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