Redstreaked Blenny (species: Cirripectes stigmaticus) in Lizard Island Field Guide (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Cirripectes stigmaticus
Redstreaked Blenny


©Rick Stuart-Smith: Cirripectes stigmaticus, Lizard Island area.

©Andy Lewis: An adult Redstreaked Blenny
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Blenniidae
Genus Cirripectes
Species Cirripectes stigmaticus

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

A small dark grey fish with numerous fine red dots over the body and head. Found resting on the top of branching coral heads.

Size

  • Up to 14 cm (Standard length)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Tops of braching corals on reef crests exposed to wave actionlagoonal patch reefs in shallow water. Wilson (2001) found this species closely associated with live corymbose branching corals at Lizard Island.

Found in exposed reef habitats around the island subject to heavy wave action.

Behaviour

The Redstreaked Blenny is solitary or found in loose groups and lives amongst live branching corals on top of reef crests and flats exposed to have action. They rest on the pectoral fins in between bouts of feeding. These fishes are mainly detritivores, combing small particles of organic material from the turf algae found inside the damselfish territories common on the reef flats favoured by the blenny.

Web resources

References

  • Townsend, K.A. and I.R. Tibbetts (2000). Biomass and distribution of herbivorous blennies in the southern Great Barrier Reef, Journal of Fish Biology, 56: 774-791. LIRS catalog number 90023.
  • Wilson, S.K. (2000). Trophic status and feeding selectivity of blennies (Blenniidae: Salariini), Marine Biology, 136: 431-437. LIRS catalog number 690.
  • Wilson, S.K. (2001). Multiscale habitat associations of detrivorous blennies (Blenniidae: Salariini), Coral Reefs, 20: 245-251. LIRS catalog number 688.