Cirripectes perustus Smith, 1959
Flaming blenny
Cirripectes perustus
photo by Shao, K.T.

Family:  Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies), subfamily: Salariinae
Max. size:  8.2 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 25 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Kenya to Taiwan and Kiribati; Palau, Yap, and Ifaluk in Micronesia. Likely to occur in Seychelles (Ref. 1623).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 14-16; Vertebrae: 30-31. Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 14, membrane attached to caudal fin, entire, first spine more or less the same height as second; anal fin II, 15; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 3; caudal fin procurrent rays 10-12. Vertebrae 10 + 20. LL, without scales and scalelike flaps; LL tubes 0-3, canal ends below dorsal ray 5-11. Lower lip smooth mesially, plicate laterally. Upper lip crenulae 36-48. Gill rakers 23-28. Cephalic sensory pore system simple. Midsnout pores present. Cirri, supraorbital 6-23, nasal 5-25; nuchal cirri 30 to 46, divided into 3-4 groups, 3-group resulting from fusion of bases of dorsalmost groups at apex of nape, 4-group condition has dorsalmost groups meeting or overlapping. Body depth at anal-fin origin 3.2-3.5 in SL. Pectoral with 5 ventralmost rays red-tipped; iris with yellow-colored oval, oriented almost vertically, centered around pupil, rest of iris silvery white. Female head and body grey to yellowish brown with spots red becoming dark brown posteriorly; with pale diagonal stripe from upper lip to nape, across orbit; pectoral fins brown. Male unspotted, bicolored yellow anteriorly and reddish brown posteriorly; pectoral fins yellow (Ref. 529, 90102, 37816).
Biology:  Adults inhabit shallow seaward reefs, from the intertidal zone to 25 m depth (Ref. 9710, 529). 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).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 March 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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