Opeatogenys gracilis
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| Opeatogenys gracilis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Gobiesocidae |
| Genus: | Opeatogenys |
| Species: | O. gracilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Opeatogenys gracilis (Canestrini, 1864) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Mirbelia gracilis Canestrini, 1864 | |
Opeatogenys gracilis is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae which is found in the Mediterranean Sea and in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.[2] Suggested common names for this species are the pygmy clingfish and the seagrass clingfish.[3]
Opeatogenys gracilis has a short snout which is depressed and triangular in shape. Its general shape is rather similar to that of the two-spotted clingfish (Diplecogaster bimaculata). The dorsal and anal fins are relatively small and situated close to the caudal fin. The pectoral fins are modified to form the suction disc, a characteristic of clingfishes. The colour can be greenish or orange with light blue spots and there is a white line along the back.[4] The maximum total length is 3 centimetres (1.2 in).[2]
Distribution
Opeatogenys gracilis occurs only in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from the coasts of the Algarve eastwards to the Levant. Until specimens were collected off southern Portugal, it had been considered to be endemic to the Mediterranean. Within the Mediterranean, O. gracilis has been recorded off the coast of Malaga, Spain, Algeria, Cyprus, France, Sicily and off Sfax in Tunisia.[1]