Blunt-snouted clingfish (Gouania willdenowi)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Distribution map plotted from GBIF.org occurrence records; basemap Natural Earth 110m · GBIF records CC0 / CC BY; Natural Earth public domain
The blunt-snouted clingfish (Gouania willdenowi) is a species of clingfish found along the western Mediterranean Sea coasts from Spain to Italy. This species grows to a length of 5 cm TL.
The blunt-nosed clingfish is a little known species of shallow water along the littoral of the northern Mediterranean from Alicante to Sicily. Its range was formerly thought to extend to Israel and Syria in the east; however this was actually several closely related cryptic species. It can survive out of the water and occurs only among intertidal pebbles and sand.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderBlenniiformes
- FamilyGobiesocidae
- GenusGouania
- SpeciesGouania willdenowi
Named by (A. Risso, 1810)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Blunt-snouted clingfish (CC BY-SA 4.0) · differs from this box at order: WoRMS AphiaID 126516 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
- LC▲ this species
- NT
- VU
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.05 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: FishBase species summary
Where the blunt-snouted clingfish (gouania willdenowi) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (180 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 12 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Gobiesociformes · Family: Gobiesocidae · Genus: Gouania.
Accepted name: Gouania willdenowi · Authority: (Risso, 1810) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 126516.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Gouania wildenowi (Risso, 1810); Lepadogaster willdenowi Risso, 1810; Leptopterygius coccoi Troschel, 1860; Rupisuga nicensis Swainson, 1839.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126516 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Gouania willdenowi. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 4.610000133514404 cm · Depth range: 0–2 m · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: elongated · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Inhabits shallow waters (Ref. 10954). It reaches highest abundances in pebble and boulder beaches of less than 0.5 m depth (24 individuals/m2 in Messina), but reported to be found down to 2 m of water depth. It was also observed to occur with Lepadogaster lepadogaster and that males build and guard nests under boulders during spawning season (Ref.
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 50846) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Gouania-willdenowi.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
180 georeferenced occurrence records for Gouania willdenowi are published through GBIF from 8 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 11 distinct locations from a sample of 180 records, omitting 12 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: France (89); Italy (70); Spain (12); Croatia (4); Israel (2); Greece (1); Lebanon (1); Monaco (1).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: European waters (ERMS scope); Greek Exclusive Economic Zone.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5214476) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5214476&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=126516 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Gouania willdenowi (Risso, 1810) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 274987900) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/274987900/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 5214476) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5214476/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
This species was formerly the only known member of Gouania; however, a 2020 study described three new species and resurrected a synonym of G. willdenowi (G. pigra) to species status. It was described as Lepadogaster willdenowi by Antoine Risso in 1810 from a type locality of Nice, France, it was subsequently placed in the monotypic genus Covania by Giovanni Domenico Nardo in 1833 and this was corrected to Gouania in 1864 by Giovanni Canestrini. The generic name honours the French botanist Antoine Gouan (1733-1821), Nardo's original name Covania being a latinisation of Gouan, while the specific name honours another botanist, the German Carl Ludwig Willdenow (1765-1812).
Source: Wikipedia: Blunt-snouted clingfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blunt-snouted_clingfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Blunt-snouted clingfish (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; compare WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: FishBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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