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Species: Elacatinus centralis, Cayman Sponge Goby

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout dark
pale stripe: thin, eye to C, yellow before white
juv: complete yellow stripe, snout dark
mouth opens at front, groove above
Cayman Is

Elacatinus centralis Victor, 2014

Cayman Sponge Goby

Elongate; head compressed; mouth opens at front; top jaw separated from snout by a distinct groove; tongue tip truncate; upper teeth in two rows with the outer row short, ending in two enlarged, recurved fangs; inner row of lower jaw with two or three large, recurved fangs; gill membranes broadly joined to body under throat, with 5 rays; dorsal fin VII + I, 11; length of 2nd dorsal base > distance from 2nd dorsal base to tail fin; anal fin I, 10 (9-10); pectoral fins 17-19; pelvic fins I,5, disk complete; tail rounded; no scales; no lateral line.

Upper head and body black, lower head and body white; a thin pale stripe from top of eye to tail fin base, wider and yellow at front, narrowing and fading to white at rear; snout and top lip dark, with yellow tinge; young juveniles with complete yellow stripe, and dark snout.

Reaches: 5 cm.

Habitat: Found in tubular sponges.

Depth: 2-50 m.

Cayman Islands


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Reef only
  • Sponges
  • Corals
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic worms
Egg Type
  • Benthic
  • Data
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Caribbean endemic
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • Island (s) only
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Endangered
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 5
Depth Range Min
  • 2
Depth Range Max
  • 50