Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Labrisomidae (Labrisomids)
Etymology: Malacoctenus: Greek, malakos = soft + Greek, kteis, ktenos = comb (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 40 m (Ref. 13121), usually 0 - 3 m (Ref. 9710). Subtropical; 32°N - 26°S, 100°W - 32°W
Southwestern Atlantic: from Bahamas and Florida southwards to Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13628)
Dorsal spines (total): 20 - 21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 20 - 22. With 3-5 dark brownish-red bands in form of inverted triangles along side. No other labrisomid has this distinctive color pattern (Ref. 26938). Head with a few small dark spots; bars on body sometimes not very dark but outlined by dark bars; scattered dots then often present elsewhere on the body (Ref. 13442).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Inhabits coral reefs and rocky shores. Often found in crevices, or among weed and rubble (Ref. 13121). Feeds on crustaceans (Ref. 13628).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | 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: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.3 - 28.2, mean 27.5 °C (based on 645 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00933 (0.00410 - 0.02122), b=3.10 (2.91 - 3.29), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.50 se; based on food items.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 75.4 [33.0, 164.9] mg/100g; Iron = 0.804 [0.436, 1.431] mg/100g; Protein = 19.4 [18.3, 20.5] %; Omega3 = 0.263 [0.143, 0.481] g/100g; Selenium = 10.5 [4.3, 22.4] μg/100g; VitaminA = 124 [37, 429] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.45 [0.88, 2.25] mg/100g (wet weight);
