Student Stuff

Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish
Cochleoceps orientalis Hutchins, 1991.

An Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish at a depth of 3m, Kurnell, New South Wales, January 2001. View larger image.

Common name

Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish

Scientific name

Cochleoceps orientalis
cochlea - snail-like, spiral (Latin)
-ceps - head (Latin)
orient - east (Latin). Refers to it being found in eastern states of Australia.

Family name

Gobiesocidae
gobio - a freshwater fish (Greek)
socius - companion (Latin)
idae - suffix meaning that this a family name. All animal family names end in -idae. The meaning of the family name, "goby companion", is most likely referring to the superficial similarity between the gobies and the clingfishes, in particular the presence of a sucking disc.

An Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish at a depth of 3m, Camp Cove, New South Wales, June 2001. View larger image.

Size

Clingfishes range in size from the tiny Derilissus nanus at 1.9cm up to 30cm for Sicyases sanguineus.

The Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish grows to about 55mm in length.

Number of species

The family Gobiesocidae contains mostly small cryptic fishes, many of which are yet to be described and many other new species (and genera) are yet to be found. The family contains an estimated 150 or more species in 43 genera. Cochleoceps is a small genus which currently contains 5 species C. bassensis, C.bicolor, C.orientalis, C.spatula, and C.viridis. The taxonomy (classification) of the clingfishes of Australia is currently being worked on by Dr J.B. Hutchins of the Western Australian Museum. Dr Hutchins described both the Eastern and Western Cleaner-Clingfishes in 1991.

Distribution

The family Gobiesocidae occurs in all tropical and temperate marine waters of the world, and even in some freshwaters.

The Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish is found in most shallow New South Wales marine waters from Seal Rocks (32^o26'S) to Mallacoota, Victoria (37^o34'S), (red on map). View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.

The Western Cleaner-Clingfish Cochleoceps bicolor is found in southern Australian coastal waters from Port Phillip Bay, Victoria (38^o00'S 145^o00'E)to Lancelin, Western Australia (31^o01'S 115^o20'E), (blue on map).

Two Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish on a sponge. View larger image.

Habitat requirements

Eastern Cleaner-Clingfishes live in waters of 3-40m depth. They are usually found in kelp Ecklonia radiata beds on rocky reefs. They can occasionally also be found in deeper waters on sponges and ascidians.

Structural, physiological and behavioural adaptations

Eastern Cleaner-Clingfishes have no scales on the body, which is protected by a thick coating of mucous. They are often observed cleaning the parasites off the bodies of larger fishes such as Boxfishes, Porcupinefishes and Morwongs.

Ventral sucking disc

Many clingfishes live in shallow waters with strong currents and wave action. Most clingfishes have a large ventral sucking disc formed partially by the fusion of the ventral fins.

Cochleoceps orientalis from the Australian Museum Fish Collection, registration number AMS I.19232-001.

This disc enables the fish to attach itself to the substrate and not get sucked away. It is reported that the suction is so strong that a hooked clingfish can be lifted from the water along with the rock it is attached to.

The ventral fins of the Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish are united into a sucking disc, the posterior half of which has a fleshy fringe. On parts of the disc are found flattened dermal papillae which most likely have an adhesive function. The number and arrangement of these papillae vary between species.

An Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish tending its eggs on kelp.

Colouration

The Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish has beautiful intense colours. The fish is greenish yellow to orange with red spots of variable size. Iridescent blue dashes adorn the back and sides. One might think that this bright colouration would result in the fish being easy to spot. This is not always the case however as you can see from some of the images on this page.

The image at the top of the page shows an Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish which has a very similar colour to the sponge on which is resting. It is believed that some species of the family have the ability to rapidly change their body colouration further enhancing their concealment from potential predators.

Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish in 10m of water at Shark Point, New South Wales, Australia.

Reclusive habit

The Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish, like most species in the family does not swim in open water where it would be easy game for potential predators. Instead it has a cryptic lifestyle, sucking onto kelp, sponges or ascidians and moving in short dashes.

Flattened body

Clingfishes almost always have flattened bodies and almost triangular heads. The flattened body shape means that there is less surface area of the fish raised above the substrate. This low body profile combined with the ventral sucking disc results in the fish being less likely to get sucked away by strong currents and waves.

The Eastern Clingfish, Aspasmogaster costatus with eggs in 1.5m of water at Clovelly Pool, New South Wales, Australia. View larger image.

In contrast to the majority of fishes in the family, the Urchin Clingfish Diademichthys lineatus does not have a flattened body. This species lives between the spines of long-spined sea urchins Diadema savignyi, where it hovers head down and nibbles at the tube feet of its urchin host. Urchin Clingfishes are found in tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific.

Cleaning Behaviour

The Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish was named after its cleaning behaviour. This species is often observed cleaning other larger fishes. It swims over the surface of larger fishes such as Morwongs (Family Cheilodactylidae), Leatherjackets (Family Monacanthidae) and the Eastern Blue Groper (Family Labridae), picking food off these larger fishes.

A Western Cleaner-Clingfish on the side of a Dusky Morwong Dactylophora nigricans (see image below).

The stomach contents of the Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish have not been analysed but judging by its behaviour, the contents should be similar to those of the Western Cleaner-Clingfish Cochleoceps bicolor. The latter feeds mostly on small crustaceans which it presumably picks off the fish it 'cleans'. These are predominantly isopods. Other bits and pieces on the host's skin as well as mucous may also be consumed.

Divers have observed, that if the large fish that is being cleaned moves far off the bottom, or moves away suddenly, the Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish makes no attempt to swim, but rather sinks straight to the bottom.

Follow-up questions

Name another family of fishes which have the ventral fins modified into a sucking disc.
In Australia, there is another type of fish that is more known for its cleaning behaviour than the Eastern Cleaner-Clingfish. What is it? Hint: It's in the family Labridae.
What is the most striking feature of the colouration of the Urchin Clingfish?