General Description

Body robust, tapering to a short compressed tail base, with short-based dorsal and anal fins; head very broad, flattened, with a very short wide snout; pelvic fins united to form a large sucking disc on the underside, edged posteriorly with a fleshy fringe; mouth small, with a strong spine embedded in skin on either side of head. Usually a mottled brown greenish, with pale greenish spots on the back and darker spots forming bands on the back in juveniles. To 8 cm.

Biology

Common, but rarely seen on intertidal and subtidal rocky reefs, weedy areas and under jetties.

Habitat

Intertidal and subtidal rocky reefs, to depths of about 12 m.

Reefs

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

South-eastern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Clingfishes and shore-eels

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

8 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

• Fishes - Clingfishes and Shore-eels

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed