Gobiesocidae

Clingfishes
Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Order: Gobiesociformes
Suborder: Gobiesocoidei
Family: Gobiesocidae
Genera and species

See text.

Clingfishes are fishes of the family Gobiesocidae. Most species are marine, being found in shallow waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are bottom-dwelling fishes; some species shelter in sea urchins or crinoids.

Contents

Description

Clingfishes are typically small fish, with most species less than 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in length. They have tapering bodies with a single dorsal fin, and flattened heads. In most species the pelvic fins are modified into a sucking disc.[1] The lateral line is well developed, but may not extend to the posterior parts of the body.

The skin of clingfishes is smooth and scale-less, with a thick layer of protective mucus. They have a cryptic colouration, and in some cases can rapidly change colour to match their background.[2]

Classification

The classification of the clingfishes varies. FishBase places Gobiescoidae as the only family in the order Gobiesociformes, under the superorder Paracanthopterygii;[3] whereas more official classifications within the United States, for example ITIS, place them in the suborder Gobiesocoidei of the order Perciformes, under superorder Acanthopterygii. ITIS lists Gobiesociformes as invalid and has been verified by the standards set forth by ITIS.[4][5]

Genera and species in the family Gobiesocidae

FishBase lists about 153 species in 45 genera:[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Gobiesocidae" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
  2. ^ Briggs, J.C. & Hutchins, J.B. (1998). Paxton, J.R. & Eschmeyer, W.N.. ed. Encyclopedia of Fishes. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-0-12-547665-2. 
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Gobiesociformes" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
  4. ^ "Gobiesociformes". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=164456. Retrieved 05 February 2008. 
  5. ^ Standards
  6. ^ a b Hutchins (2006). "Description of two new species of shore-eels (Gobiesocidae: Cheilobranchinae: Alabes) from south-eastern Australia and Norfolk Island.". Memoirs of Museum Victoria 63 (1): 25–28. Archived from the original on September 17, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070917153241/http%3A//www.mov.vic.gov.au/memoirs/docs/63_1_Hutchins.pdf. 
  7. ^ Fricke (2007). "A new species of the clingfish genus Apletodon (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from Sao Tome and Principe, Eastern Central Atlantic". Ichthyological Research 54 (1): 68–73. doi:10.1007/s10228-006-0376-9. 
  8. ^ a b Craig & Randall; Randall, John E. (2008). "Two New Species of the Indo-Pacific Clingfish Genus Discotrema (Gobiesocidae)". Copeia 2008 (1): 68–74. doi:10.1643/CI-07-025.