Helcogramma alkamr Holleman 2007

Diagnosis: Medium fusiform tripterygiid, less than 4.0 cm SL. Dorsal fin III + XII-XIV + 10-11, first fin low; anal fin I + 19; pectoral rays 16 (1+8+7); pelvic fin I, 2, spine short and hidden, segmented rays simple, partially united by membrane. Vertebrae 10 + 25-26. LL total lateral scales 36-39, pored series 19-25 (121) scales, terminates below junction of 2nd and 3rd dorsal fins; nape, underside of caudal peduncle, and bases of anal fin and first and second dorsal fins scaleless. Mandibular pores 5+1+5. Snout short, profile blunt. Head length 3.7 in SL; eye 2.9; maxilla 2.3 in HL. Male overall brown with vertical bars reddish brown extending to midline; dark brown blotches and smaller bluish-white spots along midline. Female head white with brown spots; body cream with 6 pairs of semi-bars. Geographical variation in coloration and meristic characters: fishes from Mauritius have less pigmentation than those from Comoro and Seychelles Islands. Caudal vertebrae 26 in Mauritius, 25 in Comoro and Seychelles Islands. (Ref. 75031).

Dorsal spines (total): 117; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Analspines: 1; Analsoft rays: 19 - 20; Vertebrae: 35 - 36

Recorded from a wide array of habitats; clear and turbid water, between 0-20m depth, amongst coral rock and rubble with some sand, and in a high energy tidal environment amongst large boulders and coral heads (Ref. 75031).

Adults occur in a wide array of habitats; clear and turbid water, between 0-20m depth, amongst coral rock and rubble with some sand, and in a high energy tidal environment amongst large boulders and coral heads (Ref. 75031). Eggs are hemispherical and covered with numerous sticky threads that anchor them in the algae on the nesting sites (Ref. 240). Larvae are planktonic which occur primarily in shallow, nearshore waters (Ref. 94114).

Helcogramma alkamr is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Helcogramma. It was described by Wouter Holleman in 2007. This species is found in the western Indian Ocean from the Comoros to the Seychelles, Mauritius and St Brandon. The specific name is derived for the Arabic name for Madagascar, where this species occurs, Jazirat al-Qumr.