A small elongated fish, Pholis gunnellus (family Pholidae), which is reddish-brown with a row of black eyespots, found commonly off rocky shores of the North Atlantic; also called butterfish, rock eel.
Origin
1960s.
Definition of rock gunnel in US English:
rock gunnel
noun
North American
A small elongated fish, Pholis gunnellus (family Pholidae), which is reddish-brown with a row of black eyespots, found commonly off rocky shores of the North Atlantic; also called butterfish, rock eel.