PORT PHILLIP BAY


Blackback Snakeblenny 

Ophiclinus gracilis Waite, 1906

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: XLIV-XLIX, 1
Anal fin spines/rays: II, 27-31
Caudal fin rays: 13-14
Pectoral fin rays: 11-13
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 2
Lateral line: (pores) 15-20
Vertebrae: 18-20 + 32-35 = 51-55

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
A large and highly diverse group of modern bony fishes many of which have a generalized perch like body form. Most have pelvic fins with one spine and 5 rays and the maxillary bone is excluded from the gape of the mouth. Interrelationships of the group are poorly understood and continue to be studied. They inhabit almost all aquatic habitats from high-altitude strams to the deep sea, although most are marine.

Family level detail.
Mostly small well-camouflaged cryptic fishes with finger-like pelvic fins on the underside of the head and a long-based spinous dorsal fin joined to a short soft-rayed portion. The spinous part begins with several stiff spines, and the soft-rayed part contains up to 6 rays. Head often with orbital and nasal tentacles. They have internal fertilization and give birth to live young.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Clinidae
Genus:
Ophiclinus
Species:
gracilis

General Description

Body very long, compressed, gradually tapering to a shallow tail base; dorsal fin single, arising over or behind end of gill cover, well before anus; pectoral fin longer than eye diameter; anal fin joined to tail or to base of tail fin; membranes between anal fin rays distinctly notched at edge. Orange to white with a broad dark brown stripe on head and sides, stripe with narrow white border above and below. To 11 cm.

Biology

These well-camouflaged fishes are rarely seen.

Habitat

On shallow rocky reefs, usually amongst rubble in depths of 0-15 m.

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Weedfishes and snakeblennies

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

11 cm

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Blackback Snakeblenny, Ophiclinus gracilis, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 21 Sep 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6434

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