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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🌡️ Tropical

Eastern Atlantic cleaner clingfish

Diplecogaster tonstricula Fricke, Wirtz & Brito, 2015
Max Length
2.3 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3
Depth
10–38 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
17.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

This species has been collected and observed at 10-38 m depth, mainly on hard substrate. It acts as a facultative cleaner of larger fishes (e.g. Gymnothorax afer; in the Canary Islands, cleaning a muraenid and a serranid) .

Scientific Name
Diplecogaster tonstricula
Authority
Fricke, Wirtz & Brito, 2015
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Elongated
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
2.3 cm
Depth Range
10–38 m
Trophic Level
3
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
17.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal soft rays: 24 - 25. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 9; A 8; pectoral-fin rays 24-25; principal caudal-fin rays 14-15; rakers on third gill arch 13-16; the pelvic disc is without lateral papillae in region A while disc region B has 2 rows of weak papillae; interorbital distance 4.1-4.6 in head length; distance between disc and anus 14-17% of SL; 10-13 narrow vertical brownish bars on head and body; cheek with a white ocellus surrounded by black and a small black spot in the middle .: elongated; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Eastern Atlantic cleaner clingfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

🐣 Oviparous 📦 Batch Spawner
Spawning Season
spring-summer
Spawn Location
Pelagic
Fertilization
External

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 10 - 38 m . Tropical Atlantic Ocean, Senegal and the Canary Is.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine
Trophic Level
3±0.5

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.00501 × L3.1 (TL)
Max TL
2.3cm
Dorsal Rays
8
Anal Rays
25

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2024

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
17.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3
Predator
Body Shape
Elongated
Climate Zone
Tropical
Described By
Fricke, Wirtz & Brito, 2015

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