Scarf Triplefin

Trunk without longitudinal stripes; symphyseal dentary pores 3 or more; lateral line with fewer than 25 scales; anal fin with fewer than 19 rays; male with bluish white stripe from corner of jaw onto preopercle (Ref. 94457). Additional description: Dorsal fin III + XIII-XV + 8-11; anal fin I, 16-19; pectoral rays 16-17; pelvic fin I,2. Lateral line continuous, pored scales 21-29; head and narrow strip on upper back scaleless, nape with only a few scales. Mandibular sensory pores 3-8 + 3-9 + 3-8 (usually 3+3+3). Male greyish green, head ventrally black, cheek with blue horizontal stripe; body vertical bars H-shaped, brownish; zone between pectoral fin and operculum greenish grey. Female overall translucent, head marks brown, H-bars faint, fins translucent (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 16 - 18; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 11; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 16 - 19

Found in coral and rock bottoms, 0-6 m deep (Ref. 90102).

Adults inhabit coral and rocky bottoms at depths of 6 m and shallower (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).

Helcogramma trigloides, the scarf triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Helcogramma. It was described by Pieter Bleeker in 1858 as Tripterygion trigloides. This is a widespread species in the western Pacific Ocean.