Tomicodon vermiculatus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Tomicodon vermiculatus faces significant pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure expansion throughout its limited Caribbean range. The species is particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from sedimentation and pollution in shallow reef environments where it depends on specific coral and algae associations. Climate change-induced coral bleaching events and ocean acidification further threaten the delicate reef ecosystems this clingfish requires for survival.
Habitat
This small clingfish inhabits shallow coral reefs and rocky substrates in tropical Caribbean waters, typically found at depths of 1-15 meters. It shows strong association with specific coral species and algae-covered surfaces where it uses its adhesive disc to cling to vertical and overhanging reef faces.
