BLENNIIDAE


Atrosalarias fuscus fuscus, 7.5 cm SL
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Atrosalarias fuscus fuscus
(Rüppell, 1838)
Brown Coral Blenny

D IX-XI (usually X), 18-22; A II, 18-21; P1 15-18; P2 I, 2; V 41-42.

Body short and deep. Single short cirrus on nape and on hind edge of anterior nostril. Single short tentacle above eye. Gill opening continuous across ventral surface of head. Dorsal and anal fins progressively longer posteriorly, the last ray of each attached by membrane to caudal peduncle. Soft rays of caudal fin unbranched. Color: uniformly dark brown in adults; bright yellow in juveniles. Size: attaining to 14.5 cm. Distribution: Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Andaman Sea. Remarks: living on sheltered shallow reefs, often hiding among branches or live or dead coral. (Hisashi Imamura)