Species: Elacatinus prochilos, Broadstripe Goby

Elacatinus prochilos (Bohlke & Robins, 1968)

Broadstripe Goby

Elongate; head compressed; mouth position variable, opens at front or a little underneath; a groove separates upper jaw from snout; teeth in lower jaw in a broad band anteriorly, narrowing to a single series at sides, front row sloping outwards; inner row of lower jaw teeth in males with 2 or 3 enlarged canines; tongue tip emarginated or bilobed; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 11 (10-11); length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 10; pectoral fins 18 (17-19); pelvic fins I, 5, disk complete; tail rounded; no scales; no lateral line.

Dark grey upper head and body; snout with a white V (usually with a short forward projection), which continues back as a white to bluish white stripe across top of eye to the end of the tail fin, stripe widens slightly towards rear; a wide dark stripe under white stripe, extends to end of tail fin.

Reaches: 4 cm.

Habitat: Found most often on the surface of living corals and sponges. It engages in cleaning behavior.

Depth: 1-55 m.

The southwest Gulf of Mexico and the NW to SE Caribbean.