The variable triplefin or striped triplefin (''Forsterygion varium'') is a
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 ...
native to
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, most likely in shipments of oysters.
It is found in rock pools and depths down to 30 metres, in
reef
A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...
areas of broken rock with
kelp
Kelps are large brown algae or seaweeds that make up the order (biology), order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genus, genera. Despite its appearance and use of photosynthesis in chloroplasts, kelp is technically not a plant but a str ...
.
[
]
References
*
*Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, ''Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand'', (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982)
Forsterygion
Endemic marine fish of New Zealand
Fish described in 1801
Taxa named by Johann Reinhold Forster
{{Blenniiformes-stub