Kirk's blenny explained
The Kirk's blenny[1] (Alticus kirkii) is a species of combtooth blenny (family Blenniidae) in the genus Alticus. It was described by A. Günther in 1964, originally as a member of the genus Salarias.[2] It is a tropical blenny which is known from the Red Sea, Mozambique, Réunion, the Persian Gulf, and India, in the Indian Ocean.[3] Kirk's blennies inhabit waters near the shore, and often spend time out of the water. They are able to breathe air when on land.[3] They are oviparous, and form distinct pairs when mating; they also guard their eggs.[4]
Size
They can reach a maximum total length of 11 centimetres (4.33 inches),[3] and feed primarily off of benthic algae.[5]
Etymology
The common name and the specific name honour the Scottish doctor, naturalist and explorer John Kirk (1832-1922) who collected the type of this species and gave it to the British Museum (Natural History).[6]
External links
Notes and References
- http://fishbase.mnhn.fr/comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=46411&GenusName=Alticus&SpeciesName=kirkii&StockCode=39101 Common names for Alticus kirkii
- Günther, A., 1868 (1 June) [ref. 1993] Additions to the ichthyological fauna of Zanzibar. Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 4) v. 1 (no. 6): 457-459.
- http://fishbase.mnhn.fr/summary/Alticus-kirkii.html Alticus kirkii
- http://fishbase.mnhn.fr/Reproduction/FishReproSummary.php?ID=46411&GenusName=Alticus&SpeciesName=kirkii&fc=392&StockCode=39101 Reproduction of Alticus kirkii
- http://fishbase.mnhn.fr/TrophicEco/FoodItemsList.php?vstockcode=39101&genus=Alticus&species=kirkii Food items reported for Alticus kirkii
- Web site: Order BLENNIIFORMES: Family BLENNIIDAE . The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database . 24 February 2019 . 26 October 2018 . Christopher Scharpf . Kenneth J. Lazara . Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara.
