| Family: |
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| Max. size: |
2.27 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: currently known only from Rodriguez Island. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 12-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 17-19; Vertebrae: 35-35. Dorsal fins III + XIII + 10 (rarely with 12 spines and 9-11 rays); anal fin I,17-19; pectoral fins 15: 3+5+7 (rarely 4+4+7); lateral line with 14-15 (usually 14) pored scales and 21-22 notched scales (rarely 20-23), starting second scale row below end of pored segment. Total lateral scales 33; transverse scales 2/5. Vertebrae: 10 precaudal, 25 caudal. Mandibular pores: 3+1+3. Head 3.2-4.0 in SL; eye 2.4-3.0 in head length. Small fish, seldom longer than 20 mm SL. Body slender, scales large, nape scaled, abdomen naked. Pelvic fin rays slender, united by membrane for half the length of the longer ray. First dorsal fin about half height of second. Pectoral fin large, longest ray reaching to penultimate spine of second dorsal fin. Mouth oblique, small and pointed, maxilla reaching vertical through anterior margin of orbit. Orbital cirrus small and pointed (Ref. 57774). |
| Biology: |
Known only from the lagoon around the island of Rodrigues (Ref. 57774). 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). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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