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Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) — Gobiesocidae

Urchin clingfish

Diademichthys lineatus
Family: Gobiesocidae

The Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Gobiesocidae that grows up to 5 cm.

Length
5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–20.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan and others

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Description

The urchin clingfish is an elongate clingfish (Gobiesocidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 5 cm and has a slender, dark-red body with yellow longitudinal lines and a long snout. It lives protected among the long spines of diadem sea urchins and in coral, where it holds on with a sucker on the belly, and snaps at small crustaceans and tube feet. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Urchin clingfish?

The Urchin clingfish has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly red-orange and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Urchin clingfish live?

The Urchin clingfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Australia, Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan and others

How big does the Urchin clingfish get?

The Urchin clingfish grows to a maximum of about 5 cm.

Is the Urchin clingfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Urchin clingfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) — Gobiesocidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) — Gobiesocidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Chaloklum Diving (CC BY 3.0)
Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) — Gobiesocidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) juju98, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Urchin clingfish (Diademichthys lineatus) — Gobiesocidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Urchin clingfish sourced
Scientific name
Diademichthys lineatus
Family
Gobiesocidae
Other names
Long-snout clingfish; Sea urchin clingfish; Striped clingfish; Urchin clingfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
5.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, Cambodia, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
Yes inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Gobiesocidae

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