| Shore clingfish | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gobiesociformes |
| Family: | Gobiesocidae |
| Genus: | Lepadogaster |
| Species: | L. lepadogaster |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepadogaster lepadogaster (Bonnaterre, 1788) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The shore clingfish (Lepadogaster lepadogaster) is a clingfish of the family Gobiesocidae. It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent Atlantic Ocean north to Galicia, Spain.
Occurs in the eastern Atlantic from Galicia, Spain to the Mediterranean, between latitudes 43.8° N and 30° N.
L. lepadogaster often inhabits underwater boulder fields consisting of smooth rocks and large pebbles. [2] Its length is up to 65 mm. L. lepadogaster is also classified as a cryptobenthic fish. Cryptobenthic simply means that the fish is both behaviorally and visually cryptic. [3] The term is also used mainly to describe adult fish of a certain size, roughly around 5 cm in length. [4]
The clingfish gets its name from the ability of the fish to attach itself to the rock walls of the ocean shore. It does this by having pelvic fins that have been adapted to form suckers. These suckers keep the clingfish strongly attached to the rocky surfaces off the shorelines. In addition to these suckers, the front fins of the clingfish are much stronger to aid in clinging to the rocks. The clingfish has other adaptations that allow it to inhabit rocky surfaces and reduce predation. For instance, the clingfish has a triangular shaped head and a flattened body. These characteristics allow the clingfish to reduce the drag of the water from the waves pushing and pulling against it. [5] L. lepadogaster also has distinct differences from the other species of Lepadogaster. For one, L. lepadogaster has a much more active lifestyle than the species L. purpurea . This is evident in both L. lepadogaster's swimming speed and in its more frequent feeding periods [6]
The shore clingfish survives by consisting on a diet of mostly detritus material, meaning that it lives off the dead organic matter of its environment.
Lepadogaster lepadogaster is one of three species of Lepadogaster found in the NE Atlantic. L. purpurea was considered to be synonymous with Lepadogaster zebrina, but has since been classified as a separate species whilst L. zebrina has been shown to be synonymous with L. lepadogaster. [7]
Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm (3.9 in) in length, and the family includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, Trimmatom nanus are under 1 cm long when fully grown, then Pandaka pygmaea standard length are 9 mm (0.35 in), maximum known standard length are 11 mm (0.43 in). Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, but that is exceptional. Generally, they are benthic or bottom-dwellers. Although few are important as food fish for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for other commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass and flatfish. Several gobiids are also of interest as aquarium fish, such as the dartfish of the genus Ptereleotris. Phylogenetic relationships of gobiids have been studied using molecular data.
Clingfishes are fishes of the family Gobiesocidae, the only family in the order Gobiesociformes. These fairly small to very small fishes are widespread in tropical and temperate regions, mostly near the coast, but a few species in deeper seas or fresh water. Most species shelter in shallow reefs or seagrass beds, clinging to rocks, algae and seagrass leaves with their sucking disc, a structure on their chest.
Dellichthys is a small genus of clingfishes from the family Gobiesocidae which are endemic to New Zealand. It had been regarded as a monotypic genus but a second species was described in 2018.
The Mediterranean parrotfish is a species of parrotfish found at depths up to 50 m (160 ft) along rocky shores in the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic, from Portugal south to Senegal. It is generally common, but uncommon or rare in the northwestern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea. It prefers relatively warm temperatures and there is an ongoing northward range expansion, probably because of global warming. The primary adult habitat is rocky reefs, especially in areas with macroalgae, but they may visit adjacent seagrass patches. Juveniles also occur more widely in the latter habitat.
Acyrtus is a genus of clingfishes found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Derilissus is a genus of clingfishes belonging to the family Gobiesocinae found in the western Atlantic Ocean. This family of fish is identified by their appearance as small fish with sucking discs which allow them to attach themselves to various surfaces. Derilissus differs from other genera due to its attached gill membranes.
Diplecogaster is a genus of fish in the family Gobiesocidae found in Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
Gobiesox is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but G. lanceolatus is a deep-water species found at a depth of around 300 m (980 ft), and seven species are from fast-flowing rivers and streams. These seven are the only known freshwater clingfish.
The blunt-snouted clingfish is a species of clingfish found along the western Mediterranean Sea coasts from Spain to Italy. This species grows to a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL. The blunt-nosed clingfish is a little known species of shallow water along the littoral of the northern Mediterranean from Alicante to Sicily. Its range was formerly thought to extend to Israel and Syria in the east; however this was actually several closely related cryptic species. It can survive out of the water and occurs only among intertidal pebbles and sand.
Gouania is a genus of clingfishes endemic to the Mediterranean Sea that contains at least 5 cryptobenthic species. The members of this genus are the only vertebrates to inhabit European intertidal gravel beaches and they have developed many adaptations to survive in this extremely harsh environment. They are a type of Clingfish meaning they form part of the family Gobiesocidae. All species of clingfish have a thoracic adhesive disc that allows them to hold on to both smooth and rough surfaces alike. This adaptation enables Gouania to survive the harsh conditions of gravel beaches, they are amongst the only fish taxa adapted to this habitat.
Gymnoscyphus ascitus is a small species of clingfish found in the Caribbean Sea at depths of 231 to 318 m (758–1,043 ft). This species is the only known member of the genus Gymnoscyphus.
Lepadogaster is a genus of clingfishes native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean extending into the Mediterranean Sea. Lepadogaster belongs to class Actinopterygii. This means that they share many of the same characteristics as eels, ray-finned fish, and sea horses to name a few. The main characteristic of all of them though is having fin rays. These fin rays are made of webbed skin and are attached to portions of the body that connect fins to the bones. Lepadogaster species have a distinct difference in the formation of their dorsal and anal fins. While most other ray-finned fish spines, branched fin-rays, and middle radials, Lepadogaster species do not have these. Instead, they have cartilage in place of the mentioned features. These clingfish are mainly found near the rocky coasts and inside intertidal zones. Lepadogaster is known mostly as a clingfish, meaning that it spends most of its time attached to the surface of rocks.
Trachelochismus is a genus of clingfishes endemic to the shores of New Zealand, with currently three recognized species:
Lepadogaster candolii, common name Connemarra clingfish, is a species of fish in the genus Lepadogaster. It occurs in the Eastern Atlantic from the British Isles south to Madeira and the Canary Islands and into the western Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The specific name candolii honours the Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (1778–1841) and has various spellings: candolii, candolei, candollei, and decandollii, but only the first one is correct. Some workers have found that L. candolii is not closely related to the other two species in the genus Lepadogaster and have proposed the placing of this species in the revived monotypic genus Mirbelia Canestrini, 1864, at least until more definitive taxonomic studies can be undertaken.
Lepadogaster purpurea, the Cornish sucker, is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae. It is found in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean and in the western Mediterranean Sea.
Diplecogaster bimaculata, the two-spotted clingfish, is a species of fish in the family Gobiesocidae found in Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean where it is found on rocks and among seagrass or shell beds.
Diplecogaster tonstricula, commonly known as the Eastern Atlantic cleaner clingfish, is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae, which is found in the tropical eastern North Atlantic Ocean. It has been observed cleaning larger species of fish.
Lepadichthys frenatus, the bridled clingfish, is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae. It is found on shallow reefs in the western Pacific Ocean.
Opeatogenys gracilis is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae which is found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Suggested common names for this species are the pygmy clingfish and the seagrass clingfish.
Apletodon pellegrini, the chubby clingfish, is a species of clingfish of the family Gobiesocidae. The species is found in the Eastern Atlantic, from Madeira, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Annobon Islands, mainland shore from Cape Blanco south to Port Alfred, South Africa.
