Common Name
Barber Goby
Year Described
Sazima, Moura & Rosa, 1997
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VII, 11-12
Anal Fin: 10 (total elements)
Pectoral Fin: 17
Caudal Fin:
Gill Rakers:
Mouth ventral with an overhanging snout. Body scaleless. Pelvic fins fused to form a sucking disk.
Color
Body stripe bright yellow; runs from eye to tail and broadens noticeable on the rear of the body. Dark stripes on the body border the yellow stripe dorsally and ventrally, with the lower one not reaching annal fin. Snout with an elliptical yellow spot. Belly paler gray to whitish. Fins transparent.
Size
Maximum size to 34mm SL.
Habitat
Rocky and coral reefs from 3-20m. Engages in cleaning behavior.
Range
Known from the coast of S.E. Brazil and the Abrolhos reef system.
References
Guimarães, R. Z. P. , J. L. Gasparini and L. A. Rocha. 2004. A new cleaner goby of the genus Elacatinus (Teleostei: Gobiidae), from Trindade Island, off Brazil. Zootaxa No. 770: 1-8.
Sazima, I., R. L. Moura and R. S. Rosa. 1996. Elacatinus figaro sp. n. (Perciformes: Gobiidae), a new cleaner goby from the coast of Brazil. Aqua J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 2(3): 33-52.
Other Notes
Most closely related to Elacatinus pridisi, which has 18 pectoral fin rays, a much wider dark lateral stripe, and is endemic to Trindade Island. The yellow stripe of E. figaro widens posteriorly vs. uniform width in the former species.