Acyrtus rubiginosus (Poey, 1868)
Red clingfish
Acyrtus rubiginosus
photo by Burek, Joyce/Frank

Family:  Gobiesocidae (Clingfishes and singleslits), subfamily: Gobiesocinae
Max. size:  3.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 4 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Bahamas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Grand Cayman, Isla de Providencia, western Caribbean from Mexico to Honduras (Ref. 26938).
Diagnosis:  Upper lip widest at middle; no papillae in central part of disk (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Lives in close association with the sea urchin Echinometra mainly for protection. Feeds primarily on benthic crustaceans like amphipods, but harpacticoid copepods and ostracods are also eaten (Ref. 33548).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 March 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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