Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis (Günther 1861)

A Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis, at Point Cook, Port Phillip, Victoria. Source: Julian K. Finn / Museum Victoria. License: CC BY Attribution

Summary:

A pinkish to brownish or greenish clingfish with distinct darker bands across the head and back, and a broad darker stripe running from the snout through the eye and onto the gill cover.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2020, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 13 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4132

Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis (Günther 1861)

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to southern Australia, from about Mallacoota, eastern Victoria, to Rottnest Island, Western Australia, including around Tasmania. Inhabits shallow coastal and estuarine reefs, often sheltering in crevices and under rocks.
Features	Dorsal fin 8-10; Anal fin 7-9. Caudal fin rounded. Pelvic fins united into moderate-sized double sucking-disc, posterior half with fleshy margin. Teeth in both jaws arranged in a broad patch anteriorly, tapering to a single row posteriorly. Lower lip expanded adjacent to the symphysis into a prominent fleshy fold.
Etymology	The species is named tasmaniensis for Tasmania, the type locality.
Species Citation	Crepidogaster tasmaniensis Günther, Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum Vol. 3: 507. Type locality: Tasmania.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2020
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis (Günther 1861)

References

Conway, K.W., Stewart, A.L. & Summers, A.P. 2018. A new genus and species of clingfish from the Rangitāhua Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys 786: 75-104. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.786.28539

Günther, A. 1861. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. London : British Museum Vol. 3 586 pp. See ref at BHL

Hoschke, A., Whisson, G. & Moore, G.I. 2019. Complete list of fishes from Rottnest Island. pp. 150-161 in Whisson, G. & Hoschke, A. (eds) The Rottnest Island fish book. 2nd ed. Perth : Aqua Research and Monitoring Services.

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. 1994. Family Gobiesocidae. pp. 305-324, figs 269-289 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs.

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.

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

Conway, K.W., Stewart, A.L. & Summers, A.P. 2018. A new genus and species of clingfish from the Rangitāhua Kermadec Islands of New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae). ZooKeys 786: 75-104.

Last, P.R., Scott, E.O.G. & Talbot, F.H. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Hobart : Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority 563 pp. figs.

Scott, T.D. 1954. Four new fishes from South Australia. Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 11(2): 105-112 figs 1-3 pl. 22

Waite, E.R. 1907. Occasional notes. 5. The generic name Crepidogaster. Records of the Australian Museum 6(4): 315

Whitley, G.P. 1943. Ichthyological descriptions and notes. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 68(3, 4): 114-144 figs 1-12