| Family: |
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| Max. size: |
2.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 2 - 22 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 15-17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 16-18. Diagnosis: Dorsal fins III + XII-XIV + 9-10; anal fin I, 16-18 (usually 17-18 rays); pectoral fin 14-15: 3-4 + 5 + 6. LL, pored scales10-12, notched scales 21-22, starting at 2 scale rows below the end of the pored series; transverse scales 1/4; nape with scales, abdomen scaleless, single row of scales at base of pectoral fin. Body moderately slender, depth 6.0-6.5 in SL. Dentary pores 2 + 2 + 2 ; head 3.2-4.0 (usually 3.6) in SL; eye 2.8-2.6 (usually 2.5) in head length; orbital margin serrated; supratemporal sensory canal crescent-shaped; supraorbital cirrus elongated flap, about the size of pupil; orbital cirrus bilobed and moderately long, about half the diameter of pupil; mouth low, cleft nearly horizontal, lower lips with prominent labial folds; head profile rounded. First dorsal fin about equal in height to second; pelvic-fin rays not membrane bound or may be united for half the length of the shorter ray. Key features are: live color translucent red; caudal peduncle with small, intense black spot on upper part; first dorsal fin anterior brownish, posterior with spots white (Ref. 57774, 88983). |
| Biology: |
Adults inhabit bays and lagoons, on vertical walls of seaward reefs, coral and rocky areas, 2-22 m (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). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 07 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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