Redhead goby (Elacatinus puncticulatus)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Elacatinus puncticulatus
- Common name
- Redhead goby
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Gobiidae
- Genus
- Elacatinus
- Size
- 2–4 cm
- Depth
- 3–50 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky-reef
- Behaviours
- solitary, cleaner
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Elacatinus puncticulatus reaches 4 cm. Very small Eastern Pacific cleaner goby with white-gray body with distinctive red-orange head and electric-blue to black longitudinal band from snout. Lives from 3 to 50 m on rocky reefs from Gulf of California to Peru. Fish cleaner in stations shared with juvenile Bodianus diplotaenia and Johnrandallia. Eastern Pacific cousin of Caribbean Elacatinus (3 species in batch 13). Macro photo subject of Sea of Cortez cleaning station dives.
Photo of Redhead goby
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Redhead goby?
- Redhead goby (Elacatinus puncticulatus) reaches 2–4 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Redhead goby?
- Redhead goby is found between 3–50 m deep.
- Is the Redhead goby dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Redhead goby?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Redhead goby?
- Found in: Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Elacatinus
- Elacatinus randalli - Yellowprow goby
- Elacatinus genie - Cleaning goby
- Elacatinus evelynae - Sharknose goby
- Elacatinus oceanops - Neon goby
Other species in the family Gobiidae
- Coryphopterus glaucofraenum - Bridled goby
- Gnatholepis thompsoni - Goldspot goby
- Priolepis hipoliti - Rusty goby
- Gobius cruentatus - Red-mouthed goby
- Gobius bucchichi - Bucchich's goby
- Gobius vittatus - Striped goby
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 280620)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2376694)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia