nounplural noun clingfish, plural noun clingfishes

• A small fish occurring mainly in shallow or intertidal water, with a sucker for attachment to rocks and other surfaces.

  Family Gobiesocidae: several genera and species

  ‘It is the most widespread of 4 species of clingfish in the family Gobiesocidae found in British seas.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Sonora clingfish live under rocks, to which they cling, and in little or no water.’
  • ‘His research interests are leatherjackets, clingfishes, biodiversity in shallow reefs and the Leeuwin Current.’
  • ‘Pressure difference adhesion and a kinetic pectoral girdle thus allow the clingfish to exploit a food resource unavailable to many other predators.’
  • ‘Lumpsuckers and clingfishes have sucker attachments that help them hang on to rocks so they aren't buffeted by the waves.’