| Family: |
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae |
| Max. size: |
15.1 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 8 m, non-migratory |
| Distribution: |
Southwest Pacific: endemic to New Zealand. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 21-24; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 24-26. Pale to dark greyish-green in color, breaking up into four broad saddles on the body with pale green and white between. Belly white. Fins dark mottled olive-green. Distinguished from other triplefins by its large size and rounded bulbous head, the lateral line which is continuous to the caudal peduncle and rows of large recurved teeth in the jaws. |
| Biology: |
Adults prefer exposed reefs and deeper pools. Also found in rock pools (Ref. 9003). Eggs 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). B. dorsalis is the largest known triplefin species and the only fish predator in the family (Ref. 13227). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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