Genus: Derilissus, Clingfishes, Deepwater Clingfish

DERILISSUS
CLINGFISHES
Body slender, only slightly depressed at front; head narrow, snout short, with mouth opening underneath or at front; front nostrils are elongate tubes, rear nostrils slightly tubular; top lip broad at front, narrow on sides; teeth in 1 row on both jaws, with 2-4 pointed incisors at front; 5-7 short, blunt gill rakers; median fins short; 1 dorsal fin, at rear, no spines, 6-8; anal fin 6-8, like dorsal fin and under it; 1st ray hidden on both dorsal and anal fins; a poorly developed fleshy pad on lower pectoral base; sucker medium sized, papillae small, 4-7 rows at front with 6-10 pairs behind that group, 6-8 rows at rear, with a forward pointing V shaped group of 5-8 papillae on narrow central part of the sucker; no scales; lateral line present as pores on head only.
A Greater Caribbean genus of deepwater clingfishes with 4 endemic species; 3 in shallow water.