Clinoporus

Clinoporus biporosus, the ladder klipfish, is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean around the South African coast. It occurs in the subtidal zone down to a depth of 30 metres (98 ft). This species can reach a maximum length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in) TL. It is currently the only known member of the genus Clinoporus.[2]

Clinoporus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Blenniiformes
Family:	Clinidae
Genus:	Clinoporus Barnard, 1927
Species:	C. biporosus
Binomial name
Clinoporus biporosus (Gilchrist & W. W. Thompson, 1908)
Synonyms
Clinus biporosus Gilchrist & W. W. Thompson, 1908

Description

• Fins: Dorsal fin spines 38 to 41, rays 2 to 3; Anal fin spines 2, rays 27 to 29; Pectoral fin rays 12 to 13; Ventral fin spines 1, rays 3.
• Vertebrae 17+(32 to 35).
• Body depth 6.25 to 6.85 in Standard length.
• Head length 4.5 to 6.25 in Standard length.
• Eye 2.75 to 4.25 diameters in head length.
• Caudal peduncle 23 to 26% head length, depth 28.5 to 31% head length.

Shape:

The body is elongate and moderately compressed. The eyes are prominent, and slightly larger than the snout, at twice the interorbital width. The head profile is slightly convex with a ridge along the centreline of the snout. The sensory pores are large and conspicuous. There are no tentacles above the eyes. The cirri on the front nostrils are small and flap-like. The cleft of the mouth is slightly oblique, with thick lips. The caudal peduncle is short. The dorsal fin is low and even, without a notch in the membrane between third and fourth dorsal spines, and without cirri. The 1st spine is shortest with succeeding spines increasing in length, and the dorsal rays are shorter than the spines. The 3rd ventral ray is very small.[3][4] The lateral line has large pores opening above and below throughout its length.[5]

Colour:

The colour is a uniform deep crimson, or brownish to yellowish brown.[3][6]

Size:

Attains 13 centimetres (5.1 in).[5]

Distribution

Rare, mainly infratidal.[4] Saldanha Bay to False Bay.[5]

Habitat

Amongst rocks at about low water mark, extending down to 30m.[3][7][5]

Etymology

The generic name Clinoporus refers to the resemblance of the species to the fishes in the genus Clinus and to the double line of pores along its lateral line, while the specific name also refers to these pores.[8]

References

1. Holleman, W.; Clements, K.D.; Williams, J.T. (2014). "Clinoporus biporosus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T179010A1559009. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T179010A1559009.en.
2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). "Clinoporus biporosus" in FishBase. April 2013 version.
3. Gilchrist, J.D.F., Thompson, W.W., 1908. The Blenniidae of South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 6(2): 7 – 143
4. Penrith. M.L., 1969. The Systematics of the Fishes of the Family Clinidae in South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 55(1): 1 – 121
5. Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C., editors. 1986. Smith's Sea Fishes. Southern Book Publishers. 1047pp.
6. Barnard, K.H., 1927 (Reprinted 1972.) A Monograph of the Marine Fishes of South Africa, Part II. Annals of the South African Museum 21: 850 – 867.
7. Smith, J.L.B., 1949. The Sea Fishes of Southern Africa. Central News Agency, LTD. 550pp.
8. Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (10 November 2018). "Order BLENNIIFORMES: Families CLINIDAE, LABRISOMIDAE and CHAENOPSIDAE". ETYFish Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 19 April 2019.