Apletodon incognitus Hofrichter & Patzner, 1997 (Fig. 14)

Apletodon incognitus Hofrichter & Patzner, 1997: 16, figs. 1–7 (type locality: Banyuls-sur-Mer, France, Mediterranean Sea): Almada et al. 2008: 1154 (Azores); Fricke 2007: 69 (northwestern Mediterranean Sea and the Azores); Fricke et al. 2010: 96 (northwestern Mediterranean Sea and the Azores); Lipej & Dulčić 2010 (Adriatic Sea): 32; Fricke et al. 2016: 2809 (Azores and Canary Islands, Mediterranean Sea); Fricke & Wirtz 2018 (northwestern Mediterranean Sea and the Azores): 6; Carneiro et al. 2019: 204 (Portugal); Kovačić & Schembri 2019: 288 (Malta); Trkov et al. 2019: 66 (Adriatic Sea); Kovačić et al. 2020: 30 (Adriatic Sea); Carballo et al. 2021: 78 (Canary Islands); Kovačić et al. 2021: 55 (Mediterranean Sea); Borg et al. 2023: 17 (Malta).

Description. Body moderately depressed anteriorly, posteriorly laterally compressed. Head wider than body, depressed, more or less triangular in dorsal outline. Anterior nostril about twice as long as the posterior nostril, posterior nostril located just behind the anterior edge of the eyes. Upper jaw with 1-2 incisors frontally on each side, single larger and single smaller caniniform teeth laterally, followed by small conical teeth behind. Lower jaw with 2–3 incisors frontally on each side, single caniniform laterally, followed by small conical teeth, caniniforms prominent in males, less distinct in females and juveniles. The cephalic sensory canals: nasal canal with 2 pores, postorbital canal with 2 pores, lachrymal canal with 3 pores, preopercular canal with 3 pores and mandibular canal with 3 pores. No subopercular spine. Head length 2.2–2.7 in SL, eye diameter 3.9–4.9 in head length, snout length 2.7–3.4 in head length, body depth 5.3–6.7 in SL, sucking disc length 3.3–4.7 in SL, distance between anus and the origin of anal fin 1.0– 1.7 in anal fin length, caudal peduncle depth 1.0– 1.2 in caudal peduncle length. Dorsal fin 4–6 rays, anal fin 4–6 rays, pectoral fin 18–22 rays, caudal fin 13–16 principal rays. The upper attachment of the gill membrane is situated opposite 3rd–5th pectoral ray, the upper attachment of the axial, dermal flap opposite 10th–11th pectoral ray. Sucking disc rows of papillae: region A 4–6 rows, region B 6–8 rows, region C 3–5 rows, lateral row of papillae presents on both sides of the central part of the anterior half of the disc from papillae at anterior disc region A to papillae at central disc region C. Anus located closer to anal fin origin position than rear margin of disc.

Coloration. Color in life (Fig. 14b) brownish with various reddish and darker brownish shades forming irregular patterns; individuals may also appear rose colored (Hofrichter & Patzner 1997). Some individuals with a pale cross-band between the eyes. In alcohol, pale with no visible pigmentation (Fig. 14a).

Habitat. Occurs at depths of 1.5–54 m, hidden under stones covered with red calcareous algae and in empty mussels and oyster shells, on living Pinna nobilis, in Cymodocea and Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, and also on maerl, coarse gravel, and sand with rhodoliths. Juveniles are often associated with sea urchins (Hofrichter & Patzner 1997; Bilecenoğlu & Kaya 2006; Kovačić & Schembri 2019; Trkov et al. 2021).

Distribution. Eastern Atlantic (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands), northern Mediterranean Sea (southern continental France, Balearic Islands, Elba, Corsica, Malta, Adriatic), and the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Antalya Bay) (Hofrichter & Patzner 1997; Bilecenoğlu & Kaya 2006; Kovačić & Schembri 2019).