Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies) > Tripterygiinae
Etymology: Helcogramma: Greek, helkos, -eos, -ous = ulcer, sore + Greek, gramma = letter, mark (Ref. 45335); nigra: The specific epithet is from the Latin nigra meaning black. The name refers to the black fins of the males.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 1 - 14 m (Ref. 52308). Tropical
Western Central Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 90102)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 19 - 21; Vertebrae: 36 - 38. A species of Helcogramma (sensu Hansen, 1986) with 1-2 symphysial mandibular sensory pores, second dorsal fin spines XIII (two of 26 specimens with XIV), third dorsal fin segmented rays 10-12, last ribs on vertebral centrum 11, vertebrae modally 11+26=37 (value range: 11+25 to 27=36 to 38), pored lateral line scales modally 25 (value range: 23-29), nape scales absent, males with dorsal, caudal and anal fins dark.
Adults inhabit exposed rocky and coralline boulders of coasts (Ref. 90102). 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). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Williams, J.T. and J.C. Howe, 2003. Seven new species of the triplefin fish genus Helcogramma (Tripterygiidae) from the Indo-Pacific. aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 7(4):151-176. (Ref. 52308)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.5 - 29.4, mean 28.4 °C (based on 964 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): 3.0 ±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).
