Main identification features
- body: 3 bars, darker at rear
- tail fin and tail base: black
Rubinoff's triplefin
Dorsal rays III + XII + 10, segmented rays unbranched except last ray branched at base; anal rays II, 17-18; pectoral rays 15; pelvic rays I, 2; lateral line gradually descending from upper edge of gill cover to midlateral axis; lateral line with 22-23 tubed scales followed by 12-13 notched scales; scales above lateral line about as wide as long; total scales in longitudinal series 35-36; a small pointed cirrus on upper edge of eye; scales absent on head, breast, belly, and base of pectoral fins.
Body with three broad brown to blackish bars and blackish band on caudal peduncle, bars narrowly margined with pearl white, particularly posterior ones; narrower pale brownish bars between dark bars; male with blackish tail fin that is confluent with dark band on tail base.
Size: grows to about 3.5 cm.
Inhabits shallow intertidal rocky areas.
Depth: 0-15 m.
Known only from Isla Malpelo.
Attributes
Abundance: Common.
Cites: Not listed.
Climate Zone: Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo).
Depth Range Max: 15 m.
Depth Range Min: 0 m.
Diet: mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves; mobile benthic worms; mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs).
Eastern Pacific Range: Northern limit=5; Southern limit=4; Western limit=-82; Eastern limit=-82; Latitudinal range=1; Longitudinal range=1.
Egg Type: Benthic; Pelagic larva.
Feeding Group: Carnivore.
FishBase Habitat: Demersal.
Global Endemism: Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic; East Pacific endemic; All species.
Habitat: Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom); Rocks; Reef (rock &/or coral); Reef only.
Inshore Offshore: Inshore; Inshore Only.
IUCN Red List: Not evaluated / Listed.
Length Max: 3.5 cm.
Regional Endemism: Island (s) only; Island (s); TEP endemic; TEP oceanic island (s) endemic; Malpelo Island endemic; All species.
Residency: Resident.
Salinity: Marine; Marine Only.
Water Column Position: Bottom; Bottom only;
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