Hypleurochilus multifilis
Featherduster Blenny
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Blenniidae (Combtooth Blennies)
Hypleurochilus
Hypleurochilus multifilis (Featherduster Blenny)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Branched cirrus on eye, restricted gill slit, canine teeth in both jaws, steep and rounded dorsal profile of head, large pre-dorsal-fin neck fold in mature males, free dorsal margin of upper lip discontinuous over center of jaw, fleshy lobe on lower lip, anterior naris with long flap bearing 2-15 cirri, jaw teeth elongate and incisor-like, vomer lacks teeth, gill opening extends from upper margin of operculum to ventral end of pectoral fin base, measurements (% SL): head length 26.7%-30.6%, snout length 8.8%-9.6%, eye diameter 4.2%-5.5%, interorbital width 2%-2.8%, length of gill opening 15.8%-20%, body depth at pelvic insertion 23.8%-26.6%, caudal peduncle depth 7.8%-10.1%, pectoral fin rays 13-14, dorsal fin spines 12 (rarely 11 or 13) and rays 14-15 (rarely 13 or 16), pelvic fin 1 spine and 3 rays, anal fin 2 spines and 16-17 (rarely 15) rays, lateral line disjunct with biramous pores and short canal segments
Uniformly grayish brown in males, mottled grayish brown in females, dark spot often on membrane between first and second dorsal fin spines, caudal fin may have dark spot on base, females often have faint bars on transparent membrane
Distribution
Western Atlantic in the Gulf of Mexico, from St. Andrew Bay, FL, to Port Aransas, TX
Port Aransas, TX
Habitat Associations
Oyster reefs and pier pilings
Biology
Maximum known size is 100 mm TL
Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; guarders. Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-08-11. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
References
Springer and Woodburn 1960
Randall 1966b
Bath and Wirtz 1981
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Bath 1994
Sarah Hopfensperger, pers. comm., February 26, 2002
Williams 2002e
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Springer, V.G., J.T. Williams and T.M. Orrell (1991) Catalog of type specimens of recent fishes in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 2: Blenniidae. Smithson. Contrib. Zool. 519:28.
Williams, J.T. (2002) Blenniidae. Combtooth blennies. p. 1768-1772. In K.E. Carpenter (ed.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals.
Williams, J.T. (2002) Blenniidae. Combtooth blennies. p. 1768-1772. In K.E. Carpenter (ed.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals.
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