The Kirk's blenny[4] (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.[5] It is a tropical blenny which is known from the Red Sea, Mozambique, Réunion, the Persian Gulf, and India, in the Indian Ocean.[6] 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.[6] They are oviparous, and form distinct pairs when mating; they also guard their eggs.[7]

Kirk's blenny

Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[2] (Persian Gulf)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Blenniiformes
Family: Blenniidae
Genus: Alticus
Species:
A. kirkii
Binomial name
Alticus kirkii
(Günther, 1868)
Synonyms[3]
  • Alticus kirkii magnusi (Klausewitz, 1964)
  • Lophalticus kirki (Günther, 1868)
  • Lophalticus kirkii magnusi Klausewitz, 1964
  • Salarias kirkii Günther, 1868

Size

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They can reach a maximum total length of 11 centimetres (4.33 inches),[6] and feed primarily off of benthic algae.[8]

Etymology

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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).[9]

References

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  1. ^ Williams, J.T.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Hastings, P.A. (2014). "Alticus kirkii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T46079096A46664349. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T46079096A46664349.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. ^ Williams, J.T.; Burt, J.; Allen, G.; Larson, H. (2015). "Alticus kirkii (Persian Gulf assessment)". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T46079096A56997214. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  3. ^ Synonyms of Alticus kirkii at www.fishbase.org.
  4. ^ Common names for Alticus kirkii at www.fishbase.org.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ a b c Alticus kirkii at www.fishbase.org.
  7. ^ Reproduction of Alticus kirkii at www.fishbase.org.
  8. ^ Food items reported for Alticus kirkii
  9. ^ Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (26 October 2018). "Order BLENNIIFORMES: Family BLENNIIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
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