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Australian Wildlife

  Tasmanian Clingfish (Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis)





Tasmanian Clingfish | Aspasmogaster tasmaniensis photo
Watercolour painting, ca. 1832. Attributed to Gould, William Buelow, 1801-1853. From Gould's sketchbook of fishes

Image by Gould - License: Public Domain.    (view image details)







TASMANIAN CLINGFISH FACTS

Description
The Tasmanian Clingfish is a small fish with bold pattern of narrow bands across the body. The fish is pale pink, brown or greenish with dark brown, reddish brown or dark green bands. There is sometimes a stripe through the eye and across the gill covers. The head is short and the tail has a very short stem and appears to continue from the body. The dorsal fin is small and close to the tail. The Pelvic fins are joined into a double sucking-disc. It has no scales.

Size
length to 8cm

Habitat
Found in shallow coastal rocky reefs, rocky estuaries, intertidal areas. Likes to shelter under rocks. Often seen by divers under wharves.

Range
The Tasmanian Clingfish is endemic to Australia. It is found in marine waters of eastern Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and south-western Western Australia.



Classification
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Gobiesocidae
Genus:Aspasmogaster
Species:tasmaniensis
Common Name:Tasmanian Clingfish