Picture courtesy of: Alain Daoulas

Actinopterygii (Class) > Gobiesociformes (Order) > Gobiesocidae (Family) > Gobiesocinae (Subfamily) > Conidens (Genus)

Samoan Clingfish,

Synonymes
Crepidogaster samoensis (Steindachner, 1906)

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Description
Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal soft rays: 7; Pectoral fin rays: 17; Caudal fin rays: 17; Body long and slender, head longitudinally flattened, laterally flattened towards posterior part of body; Three pairs of mandibular sensory canal pores. Ventral fin sucker-shaped. Base of dorsal fin slightly longer than base of anal fin. Max. length: 4.0 cm SL. Depth range: 0 - 8 m.

Color
Body carmine-red laterally, dorsal and anal somewhat darker. Underside of the body reddish yellow. Sometimes a yellow line appears between the posterior ends of the eyes on the upper side of the head. 

Etymology
Conidens: from Latin, conicus = cone + from Latin, dens, dentis = teeth. Referring to patches of small, conical teeth toward front of each jaw.
somensis: from type locality: Samoa.
Original description: Crepidogaster samoensis (Steindachner, 1906) - Type locality: Upolu, Samoa Islands.

Distribution
Western Pacific: Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji, north to Samoa.

Biology
Reef associated. Occurs in rocky shores.

Similar species
Conidens laticephalus (Tanaka, 1909) - Reported from Western Pacific: Indonesia, Taiwan and southern Japan. Body entirely dark brown or black. Transverse grayish-white band running between eyes.

Last update: 05, april 2021