Species: Gillichthys seta, Short-jaw mud-sucker
side: row dark & yellow blotches;
body all pigmented
D2 I, 10-12; A I, 8-9
Gillichthys seta (Ginsburg, 1938)
Short-jaw mud-sucker
Moderately elongate, body compressed; head large (> 25% TL) broad, depressed, pointed, top profile straight, snout very depressed; sensory papillae on head few and separated; narrow bony ridge over each eye; eyes small, far apart; mouth slightly upturned, jaws very long - lower extends ½ way to gill opening, upper to edge of preopercle in adult; preopercle covered with skin; teeth small, conical, 4-5 rows on each jaw; first dorsal fin low and rounded, VI (IV-VIII) + I, 11 (10-12); anal fin with short base, I,8-9; pectoral broad, rounded, small top 1-2 rays free from fin for ~ ¼ its length; pelvics form disc, membrane between pelvic fin spines with large side lobes; tail rounded; scales small (~ 65 rows along side), imbedded, rough in juveniles, mainly smooth in adults; scaled space between dorsal fins 1/3 or less than length of 1st dorsal fin base; nape scaleless (rarely a few scales); skin covered with thick mucous.
Sides light brown, with alternating dark brown and pale yellow blotches; ~ 6 irregular diffuse black saddles on back; belly yellowish; all of body (except lower midline & part of chest) pigmented.
Size: 6 cm.
Habitat: rocky tide pools with fine sand bottoms.
Depth: 0-2 m.
Northern Gulf of California.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Non Marine
- Brackish
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
-
- Mud
- Soft bottom only
- Sand & gravel
- Estuary
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- FishBase Habitat
-
- Demersal
- Feeding Group
-
- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
-
- Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Mobile benthic worms
- Egg Type
-
- No data
- Pelagic larva
- Benthic
- Global Endemism
-
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Continent
- TEP endemic
- Northern Gulf of California endemic
- Continental TEP endemic
- Continent only
- Temperate Eastern Pacific, primarily
- All species
- Cortez province endemic
- Residency
-
- Vagrant
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- IUCN Red List
-
- Vulnerable
- Listed
- CITES
-
- Not listed
- Length Max
-
- 6
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 2
