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

Abstract

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.