| Family: |
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| Max. size: |
3 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 5 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 16-17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 21-22. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D III + XIII-XIV + 10-11; A I, 21-22; pectoral rays 13-14: 3 + 5-6 + 5, some branched. LL, pored scales 10-11, notched scales 26-27, starting at 2 scale rows below the end of the pored series; nape and abdomen scaleless. Body depth 5.0-6.0 in SL. Head 3.4-4.7 in SL; dentary pores 2+2+2; eyes large, diameter 3.0-3.5 in head length; orbital cirrus small and lobate; supratemporal sensory canal U-shaped; first dorsal fin about equal or may be lower in height to second. Key features are: body anteriorly greenish, remainder of body transparent, with bars 8-9 narrow, faint orange; female first dorsal fin lower than second, male same height as second; membrane between first two spines pigmented (Ref. 57774, 88983). |
| Biology: |
Adults usually occur on lagoon outer reef flats, 0.5-5 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: 03 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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