Highfin red banner blenny

📖 Overview

Occurs in coral and rocky coral reefs and even on harbor pilings, but not in high-energy zones. Males occupied barnacle shells and worm holes, empty cirripede shells placed among dead Millepora, while females were on the hard surface, in crevices and on corals, especially Montastrea annularis. Apparently this species avoids high-energy areas, going deep when necessary .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 19 - 21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 18 - 22. This species is distinguished by the following characters: an orbital cirrus and a red banner; terminal phase (TP) territorial males in holes with a black head and blackened anterior dorsal fin with a distal red band over a narrow white band and a thin white margin, the red band extending posteriorly to 5-7th spinous membrane, typically forming a straight line when fully erected in displaying TP (or a high crescent when not erected), with a narrow anterior flap variably present along first spine; first three dorsal-fin spines are elongated, first spine reaching to 7-10th spine base when adpressed, more than 3/4 HL, 21-23% SL, second spine 80-90% of first, third spine 65-80% of first, fourth to tenth spine about 1/2 to 2/3 of first; profile of anterior dorsal fin is usually a broad down-sloping concavity due to shorter middle-fin spines (unless fully erected). Colouration: dark-shaded and pale TP with a red-banded dorsal fin with irregular rows of larger dark spots along membranes of mid and posterior spinous-dorsal fin, lower operculum and branchiostegal membranes with prominent wider dark bands alternating with pale bands and/or white lines (= banded-operculum group), absence of a row of discrete small dark spots along anterior lateral midline, sometimes a row of dark spots along anterior upper body; transitional males with elongated anterior two dorsal-fin spines with a distal red band over reticulated brown to orange bands on first few membranes. Initial phase (IP) with elongated first two dorsal-fin spines, usually orange-tipped membranes, the first spine reaching to base of 6-8th spine base when adpressed, the second slightly shorter, third about 1/2 of first (earlier IP and juvenile with less elongate spines); colors when alive include red, orange, and pink; cranial pattern not well documented; IP head spots usually full complement; anterior upper body frequently speckled; melanophores near the pectoral-fin base typically form a long, thin, slightly oblique bar, often followed by one or more spots .: elongated; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Highfin red banner blenny is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 20 m . Tropical Central Atlantic: disjunct distribution; Colombia, Venezuela and Tobago.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

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