| Family: |
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| Max. size: |
2.29 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: known only from St. Brandon Shoals. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 15-16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 18-19. Dorsal fins III+XII-XIII+9-11 (usually III+XIII+10); anal fin I,18-19 (usually 19 rays); pectoral fins 15-16: 3-4+5-6+7-8. Lateral line with 13-15 pored and 21-23 notched scales, notched segment starting one scale row below end of pored segment. Total lateral scales 32-33; transverse scales 2/4. Vertebrae 10+24. Mandibular pores 3+1+3. Head length 3.5-3.9, body depth 4.6-5.4 in SL; eye 2.7-3.1 in head length. Small (less than 25 mm SL), slender fishes; nape scaled, belly naked. Pelvic-fin rays united by membrane for entire length of shorter ray, longer ray reaching anal fin spine. First dorsal fin lower than second; maximum height of second dorsal fin about 70% of body depth. Supratemporal sensory canal crescent-shaped. Orbital cirrus small and rounded. Tip of tongue narrow and rounded; palatines with teeth; maxilla reaching vertical through anterior margin of pupil (Ref. 57774). |
| Biology: |
Female members of the Tripterygiidae family have eggs that 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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