''Gobiesox'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

clingfish Clingfishes are fishes of the family Gobiesocidae, the only family in the order Gobiesociformes. These fairly small to very small fishes are widespread in tropical and temperate regions, mostly near the coast, but a few species in deeper seas or ...

es found in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and

brackish Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...

waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. cephalus'', ''G. fluviatilis'', ''G. fulvus'', ''G. juniperoserrai'', ''G. juradoensis'', ''G. mexicanus'' and ''G. potamius'') are from fast-flowing rivers and streams. These seven are the only known freshwater clingfish. The genus includes both widespread and common species, and more restricted species that are virtually unknown. Three freshwater species that are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Mexico (''G. fluviatilis'', ''G. juniperoserrai'' and ''G. mexicanus'') are considered

threatened Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of ''critical depensat ...

by Mexican authorities, and three species that are endemic to small offshore islands (''G aethus'' and ''G. canidens'' of the Revillagigedo Islands, and ''G. woodsi'' of

Cocos Island Cocos Island ( es, Isla del Coco) is an island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, approximately southwest of the Costa Rican mainland. It constitutes the 11th of the 13 districts of Puntarenas Canton of the Province of Puntarenas ...

) are considered vulnerable by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

. ''Gobiesox'' are small fish, mostly less than , but at up to in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

the largest species are among the largest clingfish.

Species

Example of Skilletfish Gobiesox strumosus

There are currently 30 recognized species in this genus. However, genetic studies have shown that '' Pherallodiscus'' should be merged into ''Gobiesox'' (adding two species to ''Gobiesox''). * ''

Gobiesox adustus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882 (Panamic clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox aethus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' ( Briggs, 1951) (Clarion clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox barbatulus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' Starks, 1913 (Lappet-lip clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox canidens ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' ( Briggs, 1951) (Socorro clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox cephalus ''Gobiesox cephalus'', the riverine clingfish or smooth clingfish, is a species of clingfish from the family Gobiesocidae. It is found in the coastal river drainages of the Caribbean from Cuba south to Colombia and Venezuela. It occurs in freshwat ...

Lacépède Lacepede can refer to: * Bernard Germain de Lacépède (1756–1825), French naturalist and politician. * Lacepede Bay, a bay in South Australia. * Lacépède, Lot-et-Garonne, a ''commune'' in France * Lacepede Islands, a group of four islands in t ...

, 1800 * ''

Gobiesox crassicorpus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' ( Briggs, 1951) * ''

Gobiesox daedaleus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' Briggs, 1951 * ''

Gobiesox eugrammus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' Briggs, 1955 (Lined clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox fluviatilis ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' Briggs &

R. R. Miller Robert Rush Miller (April 23, 1916 – February 10, 2003) "was an important figure in American ichthyology and conservation from 1940 to the 1990s." He was born in Colorado Springs, earned his bachelor's degree at University of California, Berke ...

, 1960 (Mountain clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox fulvus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

Meek Meekness is an attribute of human nature and behavior that has been defined as an amalgam of righteousness, inner humility, and patience. Meekness has been contrasted with humility alone insomuch as humility simply refers to an attitude towards o ...

, 1907 * '' Gobiesox juniperoserrai'' Espinosa-Pérez & Castro-Aguirre, 1996 (Peninsular clingfish) * '' Gobiesox juradoensis'' Fowler, 1944 * ''

Gobiesox lanceolatus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

Hastings Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...

& Conway, 2017 (Canyon clingfish) * '' Gobiesox lucayanus'' Briggs, 1963 (Bahama clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox maeandricus The northern clingfish (''Gobiesox maeandricus'') is a species of saltwater fish. It is a member of the family Gobiesocidae of order Gobiesociformes. It is native to the Pacific coast of North America from Revillagigedo Island and Baja Californi ...

'' ( Girard, 1858) (Northern clingfish) * '' Gobiesox marijeanae'' Briggs, 1960 (Lonely clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox marmoratus ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' L. Jenyns, 1842 * '' Gobiesox mexicanus'' Briggs &

, 1960 (Mexican clingfish) * '' Gobiesox milleri'' Briggs, 1955 * '' Gobiesox multitentaculus'' ( Briggs, 1951) * '' Gobiesox nigripinnis'' ( W. K. H. Peters, 1859) (Black-finned clingfish) * '' Gobiesox papillifer'' C. H. Gilbert, 1890 (Bearded clingfish) * '' Gobiesox pinniger'' C. H. Gilbert, 1890 * '' Gobiesox potamius'' Briggs, 1955 * '' Gobiesox punctulatus'' ( Poey, 1876) (Stippled clingfish) * ''

Gobiesox rhessodon ''Gobiesox'' is a genus of clingfishes found in the Americas, including offshore islands. Most species inhabit coastal marine and brackish waters, but ''G. lanceolatus'' is a deep-water species found at a depth of around , and seven species (''G. ...

'' R. S. Eigenmann, 1881 (California clingfish) * '' Gobiesox schultzi'' Briggs, 1951 (Smooth-lip clingfish) * '' Gobiesox stenocephalus'' Briggs, 1955 * ''

Gobiesox strumosus The skilletfish, (''Gobiesox strumosus''), is a member of the family Gobiesocidae, composed of clingfishes. These are mainly marine, tropical and temperate fishes characterized by a powerful sucking disk on the underside of the forebody. Descri ...

'' Cope, 1870 * '' Gobiesox woodsi'' ( L. P. Schultz, 1944) (Woods' clingfish)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1989044 Gobiesocidae Freshwater fish genera Marine fish genera Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède