Species: Elacatinus xanthiprora, Yellowprow Goby

Elacatinus xanthiprora (Böhlke & Robins, 1968)

Yellowprow Goby

Elongate; head compressed; mouth U-shaped, a little under snout; upper lip separated from snout by a groove; tongue straight edged; teeth in upper jaw in 2 rows, those of males with outer row of 2 enlarged fangs near rear; lower jaw with three large fangs, females also with enlarged canines; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 11 (10-12); length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 10; pectoral fins 20 (19-20); pelvic fins I, 5, disk complete; tail rounded; no scales; no lateral line.

Upper 2/3 of head and body blackish; snout with narrow median yellow bar; a narrow (<eye) bright yellow stripe on body from top of eye to tail fin base; dark stripe under yellow stripe is narrow, its lower edge well above anal fin base, extends onto tail fin base.

Reaches: 4.0 cm.

Habitat: Sponge dweller, but in northern part of its range is a parasite cleaner

Depth: 4-25 m.

N Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico.