Author: (Cocco, 1833)
Comments: Adults occur in the shallow littoral zone to the zone beyond the influence of water movements, over light rocks or pebbles without algal cover and on secondary hard bottoms of coralligenous origin.  They feed on periphyton, harpacticoids and algae.  Males inhabit narrow piddock holes; they court by nodding, jumping out of hole and back again and swimming in a vertical position.  Rivals are threatened by yawning, lateral display and circling, and are attacked by ramming and biting.  Reproduction takes place from May to July.  Attracted females spawn in resident hole of a males which guards eggs from several families (Ref. 5981). Oviparous.  Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114).  Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).