Diplecogaster tonstricula Fricke, Wirtz & Brito, 2015
Eastern Atlantic cleaner clingfish
Diplecogaster tonstricula
photo by Wirtz, P.

Family:  Gobiesocidae (Clingfishes and singleslits), subfamily: Lepadogastrinae
Max. size:  2.29 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 10 - 38 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic Ocean, Senegal and the Canary Is.; probably more widespread.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-8; Anal soft rays: 24-25. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 9; A 8; pectoral-fin rays 24-25; principal caudal-fin rays 14-15; rakers on third gill arch 13-16; the pelvic disc is without lateral papillae in region A while disc region B has 2 rows of weak papillae; interorbital distance 4.1-4.6 in head length; distance between disc and anus 14-17% of SL; 10-13 narrow vertical brownish bars on head and body; cheek with a white ocellus surrounded by black and a small black spot in the middle (Ref. 106378).
Biology:  This species has been collected and observed at 10-38 m depth, mainly on hard substrate. It acts as a facultative cleaner of larger fishes (e.g. Gymnothorax afer; in the Canary Islands, cleaning a muraenid and a serranid) (Ref. 106378).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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