Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Chaenopsidae (Pike-, tube- and flagblennies)
Etymology: Acanthemblemaria: Greek, akantha = thorn + Greek, emblema, -atos, anything that is nailed, knocked in; also anything with bass or high relief (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 2 - 12 m (Ref. 26938). Tropical
Western Atlantic: southeastern Florida, USA and the Bahamas.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Anal spines: 2. Species distinguished by: dorsal fin consisting of spines and segmented rays; total dorsal-fin elements usually 39 or more; posterior third of supraorbital flange crenulate, without spines; fleshy lateral margins of interorbital region with row of 3 to 6 blunt papillae; spiny processes on head poorly developed, when present consisting of a few knobby projections; supraorbital cirrus moderately to strongly branched, cranial spines not short and blunt; patch of cranial spines on nape ends anterior to supratemporal commissural pore; inner rim of posterior infraorbital bone smooth; two or more rows of teeth on each palatine bone; no large, eye-diameter sized dark blotch on side of head posterior to eye. Common amongst Chaenopsids: small elongate fishes; largest species about 12 cm SL, most under 5 cm SL. Head usually with cirri or fleshy flaps on anterior nostrils, eyes, and sometimes laterally on nape; gill membranes continuous with each other across posteroventral surface of head. Each jaw with canine-like or incisor-like teeth anteriorly; teeth usually also present on vomer and often on palatines (roof of mouth). Dorsal-fin spines flexible, usually outnumbering the segmented soft rays (numbering 7 to 37), spinous and segmented-rayed portions forming a single, continuous fin; 2 flexible spines in anal fin; pelvic fins inserted anterior to position of pectoral fins, with 1 spine not visible externally and only 2 or 3 segmented (soft) rays; all fin rays, including caudal-fin rays, unbranched (simple). Lateral line absent. Scales absent (Ref.52855).
Inhabits limestone slopes than patch reefs and these slopes are usually dotted with small corals and sea urchins, among others (Ref. 5521).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.3 - 28.1, mean 27.1 °C (based on 313 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00457 (0.00183 - 0.01143), b=3.08 (2.86 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
