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Species: Gobiesox lucayanus, Bahama skilletfish

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

small head papillae, center top lip 3 papillae
nostril flap: 2 multipoint tips
D 13; pectoral 23-25
red, snout translucent, 5 lines from eye, scattered dark spots on head & body
sucker papillae: front 6-7rows, center patches 2-3rows, rear 5-6 rows.

Gobiesox lucayanus Briggs, 1963

Bahama skilletfish

Tadpole shaped, head broad, depressed, with poorly developed papillae, 3 on center of top lip, but none on snout above top lip; front nostril with a 2 lobed flap, each tip with several points; top lip broad, much wider at front than at sides; top jaw with a deep patch of conical teeth at front, with canines or conical teeth on sides; lower jaw with 2 rows (outer row larger) of  1-3 round pointed incisors at front, a row of curved canines along side; 1 dorsal fin, at rear, no spines, 13; anal fin 8-9, like dorsal fin and under it; pectoral fin 23-25, a large fleshy pad with free rear edge at base of fin, free rear edge of that pad extends above to level of upper gill membrane attachment; sucker large, with papillae at front (a broad band, 6-7 rows deep), center (2 widely spaced patches, each with 2-3 longitudinal rows of papillae) & 5-6 rows at rear; anus much nearer sucker than anal fin origin; no scales; lateral line present as pores on head only.

Pale red-brown; snout translucent at tip, reddish behind; 5 dark lines radiating forward, down and back from eye; irregular, widely spaced dark brown spots on top of head and along body, those on body elongated into short dashes; fins dark.

Reaches 6 cm.

Rocky and limestone ledge habitats.

Depth range: 0-3 m.

The Bahamas to the NE Caribbean.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Rocks
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
  • Reef only
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Bony fishes
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
  • Benthic
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Island (s)
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s) only
  • All species..
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 6
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 3