Eel Clingfish

Diagnosis: It differs from its congeners with its elongate transparent body. Gill slit small. Rudimentary pelvic fin absent. Postocular pore 1, anterior nasal and lacrymal pores present, posterior nasal pore absent. Vertebrae total 63-74, precaudal 17-19; last epineural on the 16th -20th vertebra. Caudal rays 4-6. Gut extension short. Tail length long. Dorsal origin over the anus. Male has its anterior part of the body with tiger-like pattern of irregular reddish-brown bars which are continued onto head and break into spots, it also continue posteriorly, and break into spots; the abdominal area is bright orange to yellow with 4 large bluish black circular to rectangular blotches, arranged in a horizontal line along lower side, extending over half distance to urogenital opening (Ref. 56640).

Inhabits coastal reefs, preferably in areas with dense brown weeds. Found in small groups in 3-6 m (Ref. 9002, 56640).

Alabes parvulus (McCulloch)

Cheilobranchus parvulus McCulloch, 1909:316 [rock pools near Sydney; AM I.9954, lectotype, designated in account below].

The diagnostic characters of this species are given in Tables 1 and 3 and are not repeated here.

The pygmy shore eel (Alabes parvula) is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae. It is endemic to south eastern Australia where it can be found within seagrass beds and sometimes on rocky reefs at depths of less than 10 metres (33 ft) from Point Cartwright in Queensland to Flinders Island, South Australia; its range includes Tasmania. This species was described as Cheilobranchus parvulus by Allan Riverstone McCulloch in 1909 from a type locality of rockpools near Sydney.