Species: Elacatinus cayman, Cayman goby, Cayman cleaner goby
flank: pale blue stripes above & below thin yellow stripe
top lip not fused to snout
Elacatinus cayman Victor, 2014
Cayman cleaner goby
Elongate; head compressed; a pore midway between front of the two eyes; 2 pores on preopercle; snout pointed, shark-like with mouth underneath; upper lip not connected to snout; teeth in upper jaw conical, no enlarged canines; tongue tip emarginated; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 12 (11-12); length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 11 (10-11); pectoral fins 16-17; pelvic fins I, 5, disk complete; tail rounded; no scales; no lateral line.
Black upper head and body; a pale line along dorsal midline of nape; a bright yellow V across snout continues back as narrow yellow stripe along mid-side, bordered above and below by pale blue behind the pectoral, extending onto tail fin.
Reaches 2.8 cm.
Habitat: Coral heads, rock rubble and large sponges.
Depth: 1-50 m.
Known only from the Cayman Is.
Note: Similar to E. evelynae.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine Only
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Reef only
- Rocks
- Sponges
- Corals
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Planktivore
- Ectoparasite cleaner
- Data
- Diet
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- Zooplankton
- Data
- Ectoparasites
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
-
- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- West Atlantic Endemic
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- All species.
- Regional Endemism
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- Caribbean endemic
- GC endemic
- Island (s)
- Island (s) only
- All species..
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Endangered
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 2.8
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 50
