Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Chaenopsidae (Pike-, tube- and flagblennies)
Etymology: Chaenopsis: Greek, chaeno = to yawn + Greek, opsis = appearance (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 44 - 55 m (Ref. 13293). Tropical
Western Atlantic: USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 51458)
Anal spines: 2. Species distinguished by: side of body with 8 dark blotches; dorsal fin consisting of spines and segmented rays; total dorsal-fin elements 44 or 45. Common amongst Chaenopsids: small elongate fishes; largest species about 12 cm SL, most under 5 cm SL. Head usually with cirri or fleshy flaps on anterior nostrils, eyes, and sometimes laterally on nape; gill membranes continuous with each other across posteroventral surface of head. Each jaw with canine-like or incisor-like teeth anteriorly; teeth usually also present on vomer and often on palatines (roof of mouth). Dorsal-fin spines flexible, usually outnumbering the segmented soft rays (numbering 7 to 37), spinous and segmented-rayed portions forming a single, continuous fin; 2 flexible spines in anal fin; pelvic fins inserted anterior to position of pectoral fins, with 1 spine not visible externally and only 2 or 3 segmented (soft) rays; all fin rays, including caudal-fin rays, unbranched (simple). Lateral line absent. Scales absent (Ref.52855).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Specimens collected with a semi-balloon trawl from a coarse-rubble bottom (Ref. 13293). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Springer, V.G. and T.M. Orrell, 1996. Catalog of type specimens of recent fishes in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 5: Chaenopsidae, Clinidae, Dactyloscopidae, Labrisomidae, and Tripterygiidae. Smithson. Contrib. Zool. 576:38. (Ref. 13293)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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