Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies) > Salariinae
Etymology: Alticus: Latin, altus = nutritious (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated. Tropical
Western Central Pacific. Eastern Central Pacific: Marquesan Islands (Ref. 41656).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 54980)
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23 - 24; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 26. Freely movable teeth around 300 in upper jaw and 250 in lower jaw; crenulate lip margins; absence of fleshy disc behind lower lip; short and unbranched supraorbital cirrus; absence of nuchal cirri; males with fleshy occipital crest; body depth at origin of anal fin ca 7-8 SL; deep notch between spinous and soft ray portions of dorsal fin, the last ray joined by membrane to caudal peduncle; last anal ray and peduncle not bound by membrane; male coloration gray-brown, ventrally blending to white, with white vertical rows of white striations reaching dorsal fin parallel with spines and rays; a series of small, dark brown spots running along the back and continuing into dorsal-fin base; head finely dotted with white, turning white on branchiostegal membranes; a curving black line behind eye; cheek with 2 small black spots; caudal and soft dorsal ray tips white. Dorsal rays XIII, 23-24; 13 unbranched caudal rays (Ref. 54980).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Facultative air-breathing (Ref. 126274); Found in surge-zone (Ref. 54980). Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114). Feeds on filamentous algae (Ref. 89972).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
Springer, V.G., 2001. Blennidae. Blennies (combtooth and sabertooth blennies). p. 3538-3546. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 12848)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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