Author: (Vinciguerra, 1880)
Lipophrys canevai (Vinciguerra, 1880)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Lipophrys canevae (Vinciguerra, 1880) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: dorsal finrays XIII + 15; anal finrays II + 15-16; pectoral finrays 12, pelvic finrays I + 3. Colour: basic coloration brown, white spots along back and thin white lines on body; spawning males dark brown, head with black crown, yellow cheeks and red opercles and club-like glands at ends of soft dorsal finrays; rarely slight crest on head. Size: to 7.5 cm.
Habitat: prefer steep rocky walls at depths of 0.5-2 m. Behaviour: able to change colour dependent on motivation. Males mutually fight for piddock holes as centres of their territories which are defended against all invaders. Courtship of males by hammering movements of head; females are led to hole for spawning. Food: small invertebrates, especially crustaceans; sometimes predominantly algae. Reproduction: spawning season from end of April to August. Eggs of several females guarded by male.
Distribution: Mediterranean and off southern Portugal.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. Padoa, 1956: 727-728, fig. 628, pl. 43 (fig. 9-10).
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.