Brown Rat Clingfish, Barryichthys hutchinsi Conway, Moore & Summers 2019
Other Names: Rat Clingfish
Brown Rat Clingfish, Barryichthys hutchinsi, P.28981-003, from Cottesloe Reef Platform, Perth, Western Australia (A male; B & C female). Source: Barry Hutchins, Fig. 3A-C, in Conway, Moore & Summers (2019) ZooKeys No. 864: 35-65. License: CC by Attribution
Summary:
A golden-yellow to olive-brown clingfish, occasionally with 10-14 irregularly shaped light to dark brown markings along the middle of the back, a light to dark brown incomplete or complete horizontal stripe (with a pale yellow to white border) along the side that continues through lower half of eye to the snout, and a red to orange iris. The markings are largest above the middle of the body, becoming smaller anterior or posterior to this point.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2024, Barryichthys hutchinsi in Fishes of Australia, accessed 24 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5448
Brown Rat Clingfish, Barryichthys hutchinsi Conway, Moore & Summers 2019
More Info
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Distribution |
Endemic to southern Australia, from Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island, South Australia, and the Perth region, Western Australia. Inhabits dense mats of macroalgae attached to rocky surfaces. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin 4-5; anal fin 4-6; Caudal fin (principal rays) 4+4; Procurrent rays 1-2 dorsal, ventral 1-2; Pectoral fin 15-17; Pelvic fin I, 4; Vertebrae 17 + 21-22 = 38-39. Body elongate; caudal peduncle long. Head little depressed; snout moderately long, narrow, tapering to prominent point; eyes of moderate size; lips narrow; mouth small, reaching to below front part of eye; lower jaw much 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 short-based dorsal fin located posteriorly, widely separated from caudal fin; anal fin similar to and opposite dorsal fin, neither fin with anterior rays swollen at base; all dorsal- and anal-fin rays unbranched and segmented; caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fins rounded, no fleshy pad on lower portion of their bases. Pelvic fins united into a small ventral sucking disc, consisting of anterior and posterior halves, posterior margin smooth edged. |
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Colour |
Pale green to dark green, occasionally with several scattered brown spots; pale line usually on side of snout, through top half of eye to upper corner of operculum. |
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Remarks |
This species often occurs with members of the genus Parvicrepis. |
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Similar Species |
Differs from Barryichthys algicola in having a shorter, deeper body (body depth at dorsal-fin origin 10–11% SL vs. 7–8% SL), a wider, deeper head (head width at widest point 66–75% HL vs. 55–61%; depth at orbit 30–32% HL vs. 27–29%; interorbital width 27–33% HL vs. 20–24%), ventral margin of the orbit obscured by cheek in ventral view (vs. entire ventral margin of orbit visible in ventral view), by having a shorter abdominal region with fewer vertebrae, and by features of live colour pattern, including body background colour golden-yellow to olive-brown (vs. uniform green), the presence (vs. absence) of a variable number of irregularly shaped light to dark brown markings along dorsal midline, and the presence (vs. absence) of a series of light to dark brown elongate lateral markings forming an incomplete or complete horizontal stripe. |
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Etymology |
The species is named for Dr Barry Hutchins, former Curator of Fishes at the Western Australian Museum, who discovered the new species. |
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Species Citation |
Barryichthys hutchinsi Conway, Moore & Summers 2019, ZooKeys No. 864: 39, Figs. 2A, 3A-C, 4A, 5A, 6-9A, 9C-D, 10-11. Type locality: Cottesloe Reef platform, Perth, Western Australia, 31°59'00.0"S, 115°45'00.0"E. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2024 |
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Resources |
Brown Rat Clingfish, Barryichthys hutchinsi Conway, Moore & Summers 2019
References
Conway, K.W., Moore, G.I. & Summers, A.P. 2019. A new genus and two new species of miniature clingfishes from temperate southern Australia (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys 864: 35–65.https://doi.org/10.3897/ zookeys.864.34521 Open access
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. (as Genus B sp. excluding Victorian and Tasmanian material)
