Hotlips triplefin

Taxobox
name = Hotlips triplefin


image_width =
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
subordo = Blennioidei
familia = Tripterygiidae
genus = "Helcogramma"
species = "H. obtusirostre"
binomial = "Helcogramma obtusirostre"
binomial_authority = (Klunzinger, 1871)

The hotlips triplefin, "Helcogramma obtusirostre", is a triplefin blenny of the family Tripterygiidae, found in the indo-West Pacific oceans, from the Red Sea south to Transkei, South Africa and east to the western Pacific, and the southeast Atlantic, around Ascension Island and St. Helena. It reaches a maximum length of 45 cm according to FishBase, but only 4 cm according to "Two Oceans".

The hotlips triplefin has reddish-brown blotches on the body, with males having a brilliant blue and black throat. It occurs in tidal pools and shallow subtidal areas up to 30 m.

References

*
* G M Branch, C L Griffiths, M L Branch, & L E Beckley, Two Oceans, A Guide to the Marine Life of Southern Africa, (David Philip Publishers (Pty) Ltd, Claremont, South Africa 1994) ISBN 0-86486-250-4