Seeing the invisible: Chriolepis lepidota (Gobiidae), literally as never seen before

摘要

Background For the first time, almost half a century after its discovery and description, the poorly known endemic gobiid fish Chriolepis lepidota was seen alive at Malpelo Island. Methods During a 12-day expedition on March 2017, 18 specimens of this species were observed and photographed at different depths by means of SCUBA diving. Results Species maximum size and habitat preference are herein documented. Conclusions This sighting represents the first record of the species in the wild. Also, this report increases our knowledge on the ecology and biology of an unknown species.