Common Name
Lobel's Cleaner Goby
Year Described
Randall & Colin, 2009
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VII, I, 10-12 (usually 11)
Anal Fin: I, 10-11 (usually 10)
Pectoral Fin: 15-17 (usually 16)
Caudal Fin: 10-12 branched, 9-10 upper and lower procurrent
Gill Rakers: 1, 7
Vertebrae: 28
Mouth ventral with overhanging snout. Pelvic fins fully united into circular disk. Body scaleless.
Color
Body stripe is bright electric blue and begins anterior to orbit. Posterior to opercular opening, a gray stripe borders the blue one dorsally. No snout marking. There are two black stripes bordering the blue and gray stripe dorsally and ventrally. Stripes taper off on caudal fin. Back is dark gray. Belly is pale gray. Cheek is often pinkish. Fins translucent.
Size
Maximum size to 31mm SL.
Habitat
Coral reefs from 0-17m. Perches on coral heads. It engages in cleaning behavior.
Range
Known from the Belize barrier system (Pelican Cays) and off Honduras (Bay Islands).
References
Randall, J. E. & P. L. Colin. 2009. Elacatinus lobeli, a new cleaning goby from Belize and Honduras. Zootaxa No. 2173: 31-40.
Other Notes
Most closely related to Elacatinus oceanops, which has an all blue lateral stripe, more branched caudal rays (12-14), 17 pectoral rays, and reaches a larger size. The two species are not sympatric in distribution.