Species: Tomicodon reitzae, Accidental Clingfish, Reitz's Clingfish

Tomicodon reitzae Briggs, 2001

Accidental Clingfish, Reitz's Clingfish

Body and head relatively slender (both viewed from above); front nostril with a tiny skin flap; the only teeth at front of both jaws are a single row of flattened incisors, some with 3 points, top jaw with 2 canines, 8-10 incisors, lower jaw 2-6 canines, 6-9 incisors; 1 dorsal fin, at rear, no spines, 8 (7-8); anal fin like dorsal fin and under it, origin under dorsal rays 1-2, 7 rays; pectoral 20 (20-22), only a small fleshy swelling at pectoral base; sucker disc with broad patches of papillae at front (5-7 rows) and rear (6-7 rows), but no papillae in center, front edge of disc rough, with fleshy tabs; tail fin 10-12 segmented rays; anus nearer sucker than anal fin origin; no scales; lateral line present as pores on head only.

Head and body tan with 6 dark brown saddles on top; head pinkish-brown with tiny blue-whites speckles; 6 brown lines radiating down from eye, that under eye an inverted V, pale areas around mouth yellow, iris yellow; body with 8-13 dark bars with narrow interspaces along side, often only on lower body; a dark blotch covering inner half of dorsal fin; tail fin with a dark base and sometimes a large dark spot in its center; pectoral with a large dark blotch on the fin base and inner half of the fin, rear edge of that blotch with indentations that may subdivide it; dorsal, anal and tail rays reddish.

Reaches 4.1 cm.

Eroded rock in surge areas.

Depth range: 0-22 m, usually 0-3 m.

The Bahamas to the S Caribbean.