E. figaro is dark in colour with yellow ventral and dorsal stripes and opaque blue pectoral fins.

[1] The barber goby is endemic to the waters off Brazil, where it occurs from Santa Catarina in the south to Pedra do Sal in Piauí in the north.

[2] E. figaro is found over substrates made up of coral and rocky either just off the coast of mainland Brazil or off inshore islands at depths of 3–20 m. It occurs either solitarily or in small groups of up to six fish over coral heads, among encrusting algae and crustose sponges, or in the vicinity of sea urchins, retreating to seek protection among the spines if threatened.

[2] The export of E. figaro from Brazil is illegal, which means that captive-bred specimens are the only ones which can be legally sold within the aquarium trade.

[4] The generic name Elacatinus is from Greek elakatines which means fusiform fishes preserved in salt, while the specific name figaro references Pierre Beaumarchais's title character in the play The Barber of Seville.