Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Labrisomidae (Labrisomids)
Etymology: Malacoctenus: Greek, malakos = soft + Greek, kteis, ktenos = comb (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poey.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 8 m (Ref. 26938), usually 0 - 2 m (Ref. 9710). Subtropical; 32°N -
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA), Bahamas, and Yucatan (Mexico) to northern South America.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Dorsal spines (total): 21 - 22; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 20 - 21. No conspicuous spots or ocelli. It is the only member of its genus that does not have a conspicuous color pattern (Ref. 26938). Female with irregular brown blotches dorsally on body, uniformly speckled with small whitish spots, the dorsal fin with many small dark reddish spots; postorbital head and body of males covered with small red spots and blotches; no dark spots in dorsal fin (Ref. 13442).
Occurs in a wide variety of shoreline habitats and patch reefs (Ref. 9710). Found in sponge beds in shallow waters and grassy areas (Ref. 26938).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.4 - 28.2, mean 27.5 °C (based on 573 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00759 (0.00355 - 0.01619), b=3.01 (2.82 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 96.2 [38.8, 230.2] mg/100g; Iron = 0.852 [0.430, 1.640] mg/100g; Protein = 19.4 [18.2, 20.6] %; Omega3 = 0.235 [0.115, 0.482] g/100g; Selenium = 6.74 [2.64, 16.74] μg/100g; VitaminA = 166 [44, 642] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.64 [0.94, 2.69] mg/100g (wet weight);