Common Name
Trindade Cleaner Goby
Year Described
Guimarães, Gasparini & Rocha, 2004
Identification
Dorsal Fin: VII, 11-12 (usually 12 total elements)
Anal Fin: 11 (total elements)
Pectoral Fin: 17-18 (usually 18)
Caudal Fin:
Gill Rakers:
Vertebrae: 28
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 is fairly uniform in width throughout its length. This stripe is bordered by broad dark stripes that cover most of remainder of body. The lower dark stripe reaches base of anal fin. Snout with elliptical yellow spot surrounded by black. Lower head paler than rest of body. Almost entire tail fin black with yellow stripe tapering. Fin rays noticeably black with clear membranes.
Size
Maximum size to 28.4mm SL.
Habitat
Rocky reefs and algae beds from 3-30m. Engages in cleaning behavior.
Range
Known only from Trindade Island off S.E. Brazil.
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.
Other Notes
Differs from the other two Brazilian species (Elacatinus phthirophagus and E. figaro) by having more pectoral fin rays, conspicuous dark finrays, and having the dark lateral stripe reaching the anal fin (Guimarães et al., 2004).