Threefin or triplefin blennies are blenniiforms, small percomorph marine fish of the family Tripterygiidae. Found in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, the family contains about 150 species in 30 genera. The family name derives from the Greek tripteros meaning "with three wings".
The tropical striped triplefin, also called the striped threefin or neon triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny that is native to the central Indo-Pacific.
Enneapterygius is a genus of fish in the family Tripterygiidae found in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.
Springerichthys is a genus of triplefins in the family Tripterygiidae. The two species in this genus are found in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Hawaiian blackhead triplefin, also known as the Hawaiian triplefin in Hawaii, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It is a tropical blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean, from the Hawaiian Islands, French Frigate Shoals, Laysan Island, and Midway Atoll. Blennies in this species swim at a depth range of 1–23 metres, and inhabit dead coral and rock.
Enneapterygius atrogulare is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. Although it is known as the blackthroat triplefin in the United Kingdom, it is also known as the ring-scale triplefin, black triplefin, eastern white-barred threefin, ringed triplefin, eastern Australian blackhead triplefin or the saddled triplefin in Australia. It is a subtropical, non-migratory blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific Ocean, around Australia and Tonga. Blackthroat triplefins swim at a depth range of 0–5 metres, and both juveniles and adults feed primarily on benthic algae, weeds, and invertebrates. Male E. atrogulare can reach a maximum length of 5 centimetres.
Enneapterygius clarkae, the barred triplefin, is a species of threefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by Wouter Holleman in 1982, and was given its species epithet in honour of American ichthyologist Eugenie Clark (1922-2015) It is a tropical blenny known from the Indian Ocean, and has been described from the Red Sea to Natal, South Africa. Male barred triplefins can reach a maximum length of 2.5 centimetres.
Enneapterygius clea, or Clea's triplefin, is a species of threefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius, described by German ichthyologist Ronald Fricke in 1997. It is endemic to Queensland, Australia.
Enneapterygius elegans, the hourglass triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was originally described by Wilhelm Peters as a species of Tripterygium, in 1876, but was reassigned to Enneapterygius by W. Holleman in 1986. It is a tropical blenny known from reefs across the western central Indian to the central Pacific Ocean, and swims at a depth range of 0–12 metres. Male hourglass triplefins can reach a maximum length of 4 centimetres. The blenny gets its common name from an hourglass-shaped marking on its body.
Enneapterygius etheostomus is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It is a temperate blenny known to inhabit rocky shores in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and swims at a depth range of 0–21 metres It has been described from Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Male E. etheostomus can reach a maximum length of 5.5 centimetres (2.1in) Both juveniles and adults of the species are known to feed on benthic algae.
Enneapterygius flavoccipitis, the yellownape triplefin or northern bicoloured triplefin, in Australia, is a species of threefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius.
The blackbelly triplefin is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius, described by German ichthyologist Ronald Fricke in 1997 and known from the western Pacific Ocean.
The northern yellow-black triplefin, also known as the northern Australian yellow-black triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by German Ichthyologist Ronald Fricke in 1994. It is a tropical blenny, endemic to northern Australia, in the western Pacific and southeastern Indian Oceans. It is a non-migratory species which dwells in shallow tidal pools on coralline rock and in seagrass, and has been recorded swimming at a depth range of 0–15 m (0–50 ft). Male northern yellow-black triplefins can reach a maximum length of 2.8 centimetres.
The halfblack triplefin, also known as the half-black triplefin, blackbelly triplefin, or the green-tail threefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was originally described by R. Kner and F. Steindachner in 1867. It is a non-migratory tropical blenny known from coral reefs in the western Pacific Ocean, and has been described from the Ryukyu Islands to eastern Australia. It has been recorded swimming at a depth range of 0–30 metres.
Enneapterygius tutuilae, known commonly as the high-hat triplefin or rosy cheek threefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by David Starr Jordan and Alvin Seale in 1906. This species occurs from the eastern Indian Ocean around the Cocos (Keeling) Islands east to French Polynesia. Its specific name refers to the Samoan island of Tutuila where the type was collected.
Enneapterygius ventermaculus, the blotched triplefin or Pakistan triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by Wouter Holleman in 1982.
Enneapterygius nigricauda, known commonly as the blacktail triplefin or the Pacific blacktail triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by Ronald Fricke in 1997. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean from the Bonin Islands to Wake Island.
Enneapterygius similis, known commonly as the black and red triplefin, blacktail triplefin or masked threefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by Ronald Fricke in 1997. This species occurs in the western central Pacific Ocean, from the Ryukyu Islands south through the Philippines, in Sabah, central Indonesia, Shepard Island, New Caledonia and eastern Australia.
Blacktail triplefin is a common name for several species of fish in the threefin blenny family (Tripterygiidae) and may refer to:
Enneapterygius niue is a species of triplefin blenny which is found in the western Pacific around the islands of Niue and Samoa. It is found in the intertidal zone and coral reefs. It was described in 2017 by Ronald Fricke and Mark V. Erdmann.
