''Forsterygion'' is a genus of

triplefin Threefin or triplefin blennies are blenny, blenniiforms, small Percomorpha, percomorph marine fish of the family Tripterygiidae. Found in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pacific and Indian Oceans, the ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Tripterygiidae native to coastal

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

, but also introduced to

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

, Australia.

Species

The following species are classified in this genus: *

Spotted robust triplefin ''Forsterygion capito'' (genbank common name: spotted robust triplefin) is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It was described by Jenyns in 1842. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it occurs around the North a ...

, ''

Forsterygion capito ''Forsterygion capito'' (genbank common name: spotted robust triplefin) is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It was described by Jenyns in 1842. This species is endemic to New Zealand where it occurs around the North a ...

'' * Yellow-and-black triplefin, '' Forsterygion flavonigrum'' Fricke & Roberts, 1994 *

Tasmanian robust triplefin ''Forsterygion gymnotum'', known commonly as the Tasmanian robust triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It is native to coastal New Zealand, but has also been Introduced to Tasmania Tasmania (; pal ...

, ''

Forsterygion gymnotum ''Forsterygion gymnotum'', known commonly as the Tasmanian robust triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It is native to coastal New Zealand, but has also been Introduced to Tasmania Tasmania (; pal ...

'' *

Common triplefin The common triplefin (''Forsterygion lapillum'') is a small blennioid fish of the family Tripterygiidae. It is one of 26 endemic species of triplefin found in New Zealand across 14 genera. This species is very common in the temperate coastal a ...

, ''

Forsterygion lapillum The common triplefin (''Forsterygion lapillum'') is a small blennioid fish of the family Threefin blenny, Tripterygiidae. It is one of 26 endemic species of triplefin found in New Zealand across 14 genera. This species is very common in the tem ...

'' Hardy, 1989 *

Mottled triplefin The mottled triplefin (''Forsterygion malcolmi'') is a triplefin of the genus ''Forsterygion'', found around New Zealand at depths down to 30 m, in reef areas of broken rock. Its specific name honours Malcolm Francis of the Fisheries Research Ce ...

, ''

Forsterygion malcolmi The mottled triplefin (''Forsterygion malcolmi'') is a triplefin of the genus ''Forsterygion'', found around New Zealand at depths down to 30 m, in reef areas of broken rock. Its specific name honours Malcolm Francis of the Fisheries Research Ce ...

'' Hardy, 1987 * Oblique-swimming triplefin, '' Forsterygion maryannae'' *

Estuarine triplefin The estuarine triplefin or cockabully (''Forsterygion nigripenne'') is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It was described by Achille Valenciennes Achille Valenciennes (9 August 1794 – 13 April 1865) was a French zo ...

, ''

Forsterygion nigripenne The estuarine triplefin or cockabully (''Forsterygion nigripenne'') is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus ''Forsterygion''. It was described by Achille Valenciennes Achille Valenciennes (9 August 1794 – 13 April 1865) was a French zo ...

'' * Striped triplefin, ''

Forsterygion varium The variable triplefin or striped triplefin (''Forsterygion varium'') is a triplefin native to New Zealand, but also introduced to Tasmania, Australia, most likely in shipments of oysters. It is found in rock pools and depths down to 30 metres, ...

'' ( Forster, 1801)

Etymology

The name of this genus is an amalgam of ''Forster'' in honour of

Johann Reinhold Forster Johann Reinhold Forster (; 22 October 1729 – 9 December 1798) was a German Reformed pastor and naturalist. Born in Tczew, Dirschau, Pomeranian Voivodeship (1466–1772), Pomeranian Voivodeship, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (now Tczew, Po ...

(1729–1798) – a naturalist aboard

Captain Cook Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 1768 and 1779. He complet ...

’s second voyage on ; he collected the

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

on this voyage, describing it and naming it ''Blennius varius'' – and ''-ygion'', the second part of the genus ''Tripterygion'', into which ''F. varius'' and ''F. nigripenne'' had been placed.

References

Marine fish genera Tripterygiidae {{Blenniiformes-stub