Blennioids with three partitioned dorsal fins, these small (most are
just a few cm. long) fishes live on the bottom. If you look closely the
20 some genera, 200 some species can be further distinguished from the
similar gobies by the position of scales, more pointed snouts and how
they perch... on their narrow ventral fins rather than a "goby
disc".
Genus Axoclinus:
Axoclinus carminalis, Carmine Triplefin Blenny... a beauty here in Puerto
Vallarta 2015 |
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Genus Crocodilichthys:
Crocodilichthys gracilis, Lizard Triplefin. To 3 in.
Here in Puerto Vallarta 2015 |
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Genus Enneapterygius:
Enneapterygius pusillus Ruppell 1835,
Highcrest Triplefin. Indo-West Pacific; Red Sea, East Africa,
Maldives, India to Indonesia. N. Sulawesi pix. |
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Genus Helcogramma:
Helcogramma gymnauchen (Weber 1909), the
Yellow-Lip Triplefin. Tropical West Pacific; Indonesia, PNG,
Northern Australia. To 4 cm. Lives on reefs, algal covered areas,
feeding on tiny invertebrates. N. Sulawesi pic of one on a
Plerogyra "bubble" with a copepod parasite on its
back. |
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Helcogramma maldivensis Fricke & Randall
1992, the Maldive Triplefin. Western Indian Ocean: endemic to
the Maldives. |
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Helcogramma striata Hansen 1986, the
Tropical Striped Triplefin. Western Pacific; Southern Japan,
Philippines to Australia, Solomon Islands. To about an inch and
three quarters length. Found commonly on corals and sponges. This
one off of Pulau Redang, Malaysia. |
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Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked
to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images
to go to the larger size. |
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Genus Lepidonectes:
Genus Ucla:
Unknowns: (as yet I can't identify):
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