Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies) > Tripterygiinae
Etymology: Enneapterygius: Greek, ennea = nine times + Greek, pterygion = little fin (Ref. 45335); gruschkai: Named for Victor Gruschka Springer, doyen of blennioid systematics (Ref. 57774).
Eponymy: Dr Victor Gruschka Springer (d: 1928) is a marine biologist and zoologist who is Senior Scientist emeritus, Division of Fishes at the Smithsonian, NMNH. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 1 - 8 m (Ref. 57774). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: appears to be restricted to the islands of the western and central Indian Ocean.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 2.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 57774)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 11; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 17 - 19. Dorsal fin III+XII-XIII+8-11 (usually III+XIII+9-10); anal fin I,17-19 (usually 18-19 rays); pectoral fins 15: 2+7+6 (occasionally 3+6+6); lateral line with 14-16 (usually 15) pored scales and 19-23 (usually 20-21) notched scales, notched segment starting next scale row below end of pored segment, below mid-second dorsal fin. Total lateral scales 33; transverse scales 3/5. Vertebrae 10+25. Mandibular pores 3+2+3. Head length 3.1-3.6, body depth 5.4-5.9 in SL;
eye 2.7-3.2 in head length. A medium-sized species of Enneapterygius (less than 30 mm SL). Nape scaled, body scales continuing to bases of dorsal and anal fins; belly naked. Pelvic-fin rays not united by membrane. First dorsal fin equal in height to second, second about 70% of body depth. Simple, lobate orbital and anterior nasal cirri present. Supratemporal sensory canal slightly curved. Tongue triangular and sharply pointed; maxilla reaches vertical through
anterior margin of pupil; broad band of teeth in upper and front of lower jaw; palatines without teeth. Spines of first dorsal fin with small, laterally projecting spinelets (Ref. 57774).
Female members of the Tripterygiidae 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).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Holleman, W., 2005. A review of the triplefin fish genus Enneapterygius (Blennioidei: Tripterygidae) in the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of four new species. Smithiana, Bull. 5:1-25. (Ref. 57774)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.5 - 29, mean 27.5 °C (based on 120 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00617 (0.00288 - 0.01322), b=3.04 (2.86 - 3.22), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
