Species: Tomicodon cryptus, Cryptic clingfish
female side: 4 bright white spots
front nostril - small flap
Tomicodon cryptus Williams & Tyler, 2003
Cryptic clingfish
Body and head relatively slender (both viewed from above); front nostril with a small skin flap; the only teeth at front of both jaws are a single row of flattened incisors, some with 3 points, top jaw with 0-2 canines, 8-10 incisors, lower jaw 0-4 canines, 4-10 incisors; 1 dorsal fin, at rear, no spines, 8 (7-8); anal fin like dorsal fin and under it, origin under dorsal rays 3-5, 7 rays; pectoral 20 (20-22), only a small fleshy swelling at pectoral base; sucker disc with broad patches of papillae at front (6-7 rows) and rear (6-7 rows), but no papillae in center, front edge of disc smooth, without fleshy tabs; tail fin 11 (10-12) segmented rays; anus midway between sucker disc and anal fin origin to nearer sucker; no scales; lateral line present as pores on head only.
Male with 6-7 dark brown bars separated by pinkish maroon areas, 1st on nape, next 2 are inverted-Y shaped, last 2 simple bars; bright white below; 5 brown lines radiating from eye, to front of mouth, center of mouth and onto operculum; fins pinkish. Female: mottled dark brown (with blue-white mottled edges), bars separated by olive brown interspaces at front, olive bars and pinkish interspaces at rear; 4 bright-white spots along lower flank between pectoral base and anal base; pale areas of head pinkish, snout and between eyes pinkish brown; pinkish-white spots on side above pectoral base; fins pinkish.
Reaches 2 cm.
High energy surge zones of rocky shores.
Depth range: 0-8.5 m.
The Bahamas to the S Caribbean.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Reef only
- Rocks
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Mobile benthic worms
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent + Island (s)
- Insular primarily
- GC endemic
- Island (s)
- Continent
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 2
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 8
