Animal Species:Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis (Günther, 1861)

The Tasmanian Clingfish can be recognised by its banded colour pattern. The species is endemic to Australia.

Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis

Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis
Phil Mercurio © Phil Mercurio

Identification

The Tasmanian Clingfish can be recognised by its banded colour pattern. The bands can be brownish, green, pink, red or orange. There is sometimes a stripe through the eye and across the operculum.

The species has a depressed head and a compressed caudal peduncle. It has a short based dorsal fin close to the tail. The pelvic fins are fused into a sucker. There are no scales or lateral line.

Size range

It grows to 8 cm in length.

Distribution

This species is endemic to Australia. It occurs in marine waters of eastern Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and south-western Western Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Tasmanian Clingfish specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Tasmanian Clingfish is common on shallow coastal rocky reefs and intertidal areas. It is also seen by divers under wharves.

Classification

Species:
tasmaniensis
Genus:
Aspasmogaster
Family:
Gobiesocidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hutchins, J.B. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
  2. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  3. Hutchins, J.B. 1984. Description of a new gobiesocid fish from south-western Australia, with a key to the species of Aspasmogaster. Records of the Western Australian Museum 11(2): 129-140.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433. K
  5. uiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  6. Last, P.R., E.O.G. Scott & F.H. Talbot. 1983. Fishes of Tasmania. Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority. Pp. 563.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Tasmanian Clingfish, Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis, Gobiesocidae, endemic to Australia, stripes or bands, brown, green, pink, red, orange, stripe though eye, depressed head, no scales, < 10 cm, marine,