Description

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 19; Vertebrae: 34 - 35. Diagnosis: Medium to large species of the genus. Dorsal fin III + XIII+ 10, 2nd fin twice the 1st; anal fin I, 19; pectoral rays 16 (1+8+7); pelvic fin I, 2, spine short and hidden, segmented rays simple, partially united by membrane. Vertebrae 10+24-25. LL total lateral scales 37-38; tubed 21-31 (geographically variant means), ends below junction of 2nd and 3rd dorsal fin; nape, belly, 1st dorsal fin and anterior anal-fin bases scaleless, caudal-fin base with 2 rows of scales. Mandibular pores 5+1+5. Orbital cirrus simple and small. Head length 3.3-3.7 in SL; eye 2.6-3.2, maxilla 2.2-2.6 in HL. Males body with red and black spots evenly scattered, vertical stripes from dorsal fin to midline of side, and silvery spots below midline; head with blue stripe from mouth corner to preopercle, upperlip corner with crimson markings, black in the center (Ref. 75031).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Blenniiformes

Family: Tripterygiidae

Genus: Helcogramma

Species: Helcogramma rharhabe Holleman, 2007

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

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).

Habitat

benthopelagic