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Omobranchus ferox (Herre, 1927) Gossamer blenny |
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photo by
Winterbottom, R. |
| Family: | Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies), subfamily: Blenniinae | |||
| Max. size: | 6 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | benthopelagic; freshwater; brackish | |||
| Distribution: | Indo-Pacific: Lake Poelela and Maputo Bay in Mozambique (Ref. 4404, 127963), but not known from East Africa north of Mozambique, northern Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Persian/Arabian Gulf (Ref. 127963). Also Sri Lanka (Ref. 4404, 127963) and elsewhere to east coast of India, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, New Guinea and Australia (Ref. 127963). Invasive in Hawaii and continental United States (Ref. 127963). | |||
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 11-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-23; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 22-26. Diagnosis: A good diagnostic characteristic is a short diagonal line found just behind the eye (Ref. 44091). Head without cirri; lower end of gill opening usually opposite 4th or 5th pectoral fin ray; sensory pores in infraorbital an interorbital canals mostly 8 and 3 respectively; lateral line tubes 1 to 4 (Ref. 559). Description: No fleshy crest on top of head; median interorbital pore present in 98% of specimens (Ref. 4404). Dorsal fin with 11-13 spines and 20-23 soft rays; anal fin with 2 spines and 22-26 soft rays (Ref. 4404). Colouration: Body with faint, dusky bands anteriorly; males with a dusky spot distally at rear end of dorsal fin (Ref. 4404). |
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| Biology: | Adults are found in mangrove swamps and river estuaries, but more often in freshwater lakes (Ref. 4404, 58302). Benthic (Ref. 58302). The size and shape of the mouth, the presence of large canine teeth suggest that this fish is probably a predator on small aquatic animals (Ref. 44091). Oviparous; eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 February 2020 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||