Bellapiscis lesleyae Hardy, 1987
Mottled twister
Bellapiscis lesleyae
photo by Clements, K.

Family:  Tripterygiidae (Triplefin blennies), subfamily: Tripterygiinae
Max. size:  6.03 cm SL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 3 years
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 5 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 18-21; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-15; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 17-22. With 17-22 soft anal fin rays, 17-25 lateral line scales, 35-42 +1 total lateral scale rows, and the body with an irregular or without a checker-board pattern, extending to level of belly.
Biology:  Adults are found predominantly in tide pools and upper subtidal areas. Are solitary. They feed mainly on amphipods, isopods, polychaetes, and small gastropods. Males may defend small breeding territories during the breeding season (Ref 13227). 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).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 May 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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