Malacoctenus delalandii (Valenciennes, 1836)
Brazilian blenny
Malacoctenus delalandii
photo by Wirtz, P.

Family:  Labrisomidae (Labrisomids)
Max. size:  8.2 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine
Distribution:  Southwestern Atlantic: Belize, Central America, and Puerto Rico; Caribbean, to Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 20-20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-21. This species is distinguished from its southwestern Atlantic congeners by the following set of characters: D XX,9-11 (rarely XIX or XXI); A II,17-21; pectoral-fin rays14-15 (rarely 13); length of third pelvic-fin ray contained 2.5 to 3.0 times in second pelvic-fin ray; lateral-line scales 48-56; total nuchal cirri 24-36; pectoral-fin base and midline before dorsal-fin no scales; breast usually fully scaled in males, often naked in females; pores 2-3 from preopercular canal onto opercle. Colouration: pattern dominated by 5-6 (rarely 7), saddle-like bars on body, extending to spiny dorsal fin (Ref. 123106).
Biology:  Occurs in shallo reefs (Ref. 123106), on sandy bottoms and Thalassia testudinum beds (Ref. 13628). Feeds mainly on crustaceans but also on gastropods and worms (Ref. 13628).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 October 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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