Helcogramma


Helcogramma is a genus in the triplefin family Tripterygiidae. The blennies in the genus Helcogramma are found throughout the Indo-Pacific and in the South Atlantic Ocean off the islands of St Helena and Ascension.

Characteristics

The fishes in the genus Helcogramma are characterised by the possession of a continuous lateral line which bends down towards the operculum, this lateral line comprises 7–39 tubular pored scales. There are three spines in the first dorsal fin and the anal fin has one spine, the pelvic fin has a single spine and two rays. The head is scaleless and normally the bases of the dorsal and anal fins have a scaleless strip. There are five bones in the joint between the caudal fin and the vertebrae, the hypurals.

Species

There are currently 41 recognized species in this genus: