''Cancelloxus longior'' is a species of

clinid Clinidae is a family of marine fish in the order Blenniiformes within the series Ovalentaria, part of the Percomorpha . Temperate blennies, the family ranges from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, in both the Southern and Northern Hemi ...

found in

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

waters of the

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

n coast. It can be found in areas with a sand substrate from the

intertidal The intertidal zone or foreshore is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide; in other words, it is the part of the littoral zone within the tidal range. This area can include several types of habitats with various sp ...

zone to a depth of about . Males of this species can reach a maximum length of SL, while females can reach a maximum length of SL.

Description

*Fins:

Dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates. Dorsal fins have evolved independently several times through convergent evolution adapting to marine environments, so the fins are not all homologous. They are found ...

spines 38 to 43, rays 11 to 15;

Anal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported o ...

spines 2, rays 51 to 57;

Pectoral fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish aquatic locomotion, swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the vertebral column ...

rays 13 to 15;

Ventral fin Pelvic fins or ventral fins are paired fins located on the ventral (belly) surface of fish, and are the lower of the only two sets of paired fins (the other being the laterally positioned pectoral fins). The pelvic fins are homologous to the hind ...

spines 1, rays 3;

Caudal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

rays 11 to 15 *

Gill rakers Gill rakers in fish are bony or cartilaginous processes that project from the branchial arch (gill arch) and are involved with suspension feeding tiny prey. They are not to be confused with the gill filaments that compose the fleshy part of the ...

in outer series of first arch 4+6. *

Vertebrae Each vertebra (: vertebrae) is an irregular bone with a complex structure composed of bone and some hyaline cartilage, that make up the vertebral column or spine, of vertebrates. The proportions of the vertebrae differ according to their spinal ...

(17 to 18)+(56 to 57). * Body depth 8.6 to 12.7 in

Standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of fish anatomy, their anatomies, for data used in many areas of ichthyology, including Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and fishery biology. Overall length Standard length (SL) is ...

. * Head length 5.1 to 6.7 in Standard length. *Eye 4.2 to 5.4 diameters in head length. *

Caudal peduncle Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

25 to 38% head length, depth 16 to 24% head length. Shape: Body very slender, elongate and snake-like, not depressed. Head short and depressed, sharply pointed, with lower jaw that projects prominently. No cirri above the eye. Dorsal fin low and even Colour: Body white with pale cream to light brown blotches, forming irregular saddles on the back, or off-white with a dense pattern of small irregular mauve spots which are enlarged on the dorsal surface and become sparse below the lateral line. The fish has a translucent appearance. Below the saddles is a pearly horizontal line, separated by a thin white, then light brown line from the white to pearly white ventral area. The pupils of the eyes are black with a yellow to orange iris. The rest of the eye is blotched like the adjacent area. Size: Attains 121mm.

Distribution

Groenrivier on the West coast of South Africa to Fishhoek.

Habitat

Fine, pale and densely packed sandy areas to about 10m, with the sand having an irregular surface, without distinct ridges. Such sand is more commonly found in calm areas behind headlands and in bays. Sand may not be a shallow cover over rocks, but must be of substantial depth. Open expanses are preferred.

Behaviour

The fish lies just below the surface area of the sand, showing at most the head. It digs itself in by slowly moving the “S” shape sideways, only leaving the head exposed. The depression left by the body is generally very apparent initially, but the fine sand settles in the depression, rapidly evening the surface out, and the fish becomes virtually invisible.

Etymology

Longior: meaning longer, referring to the extremely elongate body form.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2783025 longior Taxa named by Kim Prochazka Taxa named by Charles L. Griffiths Fish described in 1991