| Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| 2.1 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
|
demersal; marine; depth range 2 - 12 m |
| Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea. |
|
Dorsal spines (total): 14-17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 15-17; Vertebrae: 32-33. Diagnosis: Dorsal fins III + XI-XIII + 8-9 (usually III + XI-XII +8- 9); anal fin I, 15-17 (usually 16); pectoral fin 15: 3+5+7. LL, pored scales8-12; notched scales 21-23, starting at 2 scale rows below the end of the pored series; total lateral scales 28-29; transverse scales 2/5; nape with scales, abdomen scaleless, single row of scales at base of pectoral fin. Body depth 4.5-5.2 in SL. Vertebrae 10 + 21-22. Dentary pores 3 + 2 + 3; head 3.1-3.4 in SL; eye 2.5-3.0 in head length; orbital cirrus minute, rounded flap about half the diameter of pupil, distally serrated margin; supratemporal sensory canal crescent-shaped; first dorsal fin same height in males and females, about 60% of the second. Key features are: body bars brown; caudal peduncle spots 2 black, the lower one smaller; five black blotches on anal fin, anteriormost largest and darkest; face pink with brown bar below eye; first dorsal fin crimson in males (Ref. 57774, 88983). |
| Adults inhabit bays and lagoons rich in corals, 2-12 m; usually found in crevices near Porites or on the vertical face of this coral (Ref. 88983). Eggs are hemispherical and covered with numerous sticky threads that anchor them in the algae on the nesting sites (Ref. 240). Larvae are planktonic which occur primarily in shallow, nearshore waters (Ref. 94114). |
|
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 June 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| harmless |
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