Image: Male and female Ringscale Triplefins

Male and female Ringscale Triplefins

A female (upper) and male Ringscale Triplefin at a depth of 2 m, on a surgey rocky reef, 'The Pipeline', Nelson Bay, Port Stephens, New South Wales, 29 March 2009.

Photographer:
David and Leanne Atkinson
Rights:
© David and Leanne Atkinson
Common name:
Ringscale Triplefin
Scientific name:
Enneapterygius atrogulare
Family:
Tripterygiidae
Order:
Perciformes

Additional information

These fish were in the process of mating. The male was darting about and displaying. The female stayed on the bottom and 'wiggled'. The male darted over and quickly covered the female. The cloudy area over the left side of the male's head is probably released sperm.

Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Tripterygiidae, Ringscale Triplefin, Enneapterygius atrogulare,

2 comments

Mark McGrouther - 8.03 AM, 15 March 2010

Hi Graham,  Please see my reply to your post on the factsheet for the species.

GrahamMc - 10.03 PM, 09 March 2010
All of my reference books, and the Australian Museum website, show that the distribution of the fish Ring-scale Triplefin (Enneapterygius atrogulare) is along the East coast of Australia. I think I have identified it in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia. Please could you check the identification of the fish in the attached image taken on 28 Feb 2010 at a depth of 3m~5m (I've had to drop the resolution to 72dpi in order to upload it). Assuming it is the Ring-scale Triplefin, do you know of any other reported sightings from Western Australia?

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