Gargantuan blenny
📖 Overview
Facultative air-breathing in the genus ; Occur in the surge zone of rocky and coral reefs less than 6 m deep . Benthic . Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive , and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal . Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 16 - 17; Vertebrae: 31 - 33. Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 16, membrane attached to caudal fin, with deep notch above last spine, first spine almost same or slightly higher than second; anal fin II, 17; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 4; caudal fin procurrent rays 10-14. Vertebrae 10 + 22. LL, without scales but with scalelike flaps irregularly spaced along anterior part of LL; LL tubes 0-10 (usually 0-8), canal ends on caudal fin base. Lower lip crenulated mesially but plicate laterally. Upper lip crenulae 41-50. Gill rakers 26-30. Cephalic sensory pore complex. Cirri, supraorbital 10-26, nasal 14-42; nuchal 36-47, grouped into 2 that sometimes overlap at midpoint on nape, without nuchal flaps. Head spotted; behind each eye are pupil-sized dark spots; iris yellowish in females, orange in males; ventral surface reddish brown in males, golden brown in females. Body brown with spots, male with spots not reaching to caudal fin base, female spots white becoming lavender posteriorly up to caudal fin base .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Gargantuan blenny is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Oviparous, distinct pairing . Urogenital orifice of male genital papilla located at distal tip of a slender filament on a fleshy swelling behind anus; elongated testes with length equal to 2 to 3 times its width .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 6 m . Tropical; 30°N - 20°N Central Pacific: native to the Hawaiian Islands (Ref.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Gargantuan blenny.
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
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