Common Name
Linesnout Goby
Year Described
Colin, 2002
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VII, 12-13
Anal Fin: 11
Pectoral Fin: 18-19
Caudal Fin:
Gill Rakers:
Vertebrae: 28
Mouth terminal. Body scaleless. Pelvic fins fused to form a sucking disk.
Color
Body stripe silvery blue to white; very narrow and runs from eye to caudal fin. Snout marking a short, thin line of the same color as the body stripe. Back anterior to dorsal fin black. Rest of back translucent gray. Lateral part of body under stripe black. Stripe ends abruptly on tail as rounded projection. Belly pale gray.
Size
Maximum size to 36.8mm SL.
Habitat
Shallow coral reefs in waters less than 30m. Occurs inside sponges and is not known to engage in cleaning behavior.
Range
Western Caribbean Sea: reefs off Belize and Honduras.
References
Colin, P.L. 2002. A new species of sponge-dwelling Elacatinus (Pisces: Gobiidae) from the western Caribbean. Zootaxa 106:1-7.
Other Notes
The thin white stripe and snout spot are distinctive. Related species include Elacatinus serranilla (has spot instead of line and broader snout), E. horsti (broader yellow stripe and yellow snout spot), E. xanthiprora (broader yellow stripe and rounded spot on snout), and E. randalli (subterminal mouth, yellow stripes, cleaner fish).