Species: Tomicodon rhabdotus, Antillean Clingfish

Tomicodon rhabdotus Smith-Vaniz, 1969

Antillean Clingfish

Body and head relatively slender (both viewed from above); front nostril with a well developed skin flap; front of both jaws with a single row of flattened incisors, some with 3 points; top jaw with 0 canines, 12 incisors, lower jaw 2 canines, 8 incisors; a small fleshy swelling at pectoral base; 1 dorsal fin, at rear, no spines, 8-9; anal fin like dorsal fin and under it, origin under dorsal ray 4-5, 6 (6-8) rays; pectoral 20-21, only a small fleshy swelling at pectoral base; sucker disc with broad patches of papillae at front (6-7 rows) and rear (9-10 rows) but no papillae in center, front edge of disc rough, with fleshy tabs; tail fin 10-11 segmented rays; anus midway between sucker and anal fin origin; no scales; lateral line present as pores on head only.

Preserved fish: head and body with sharply defined narrow pale bars on a dark background; base of pectoral fin with 2 narrow diagonal pale bars on a dark background.

Reaches 5 cm.

Rocky surgy shallows.

Depth range: 0-1 m.

E and SE Caribbean.