Istiblennius steindachneri (Pfeffer 1893)

Males with spotted occipital crest; crest absent in females; caudal peduncle in males with dark stripes restricted to posterior 45% of body; peduncle in females with dark spots that may also be present anterior to peduncle; dark pinstripes in females restricted to posterior 45% of body excluding spotted area; total dorsal fin elements in males 36-38, in females 35 to 38; total vertebrae 41 to 43, 45 (both sexes; 45 in only one male).

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 25; Analsoft rays: 23 - 25

Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).

Istiblennius steindachneri (Pfeffer)

Salarias steindachneri Pfeffer, 1893a:143; 1893b:15 [ZMH 410, Insel Baui, and 2 (conspecific), and ZMH 18076, Tumbatu, (= I. dussumieri); lectotype, , ZMH 410, Insel Baui, designated below].

DIAGNOSIS (see also Tables 22 to 26).—A species of the Lineatus complex in which: males have spotted occipital crest; females lack crest; color pattern on caudal peduncle of males consisting of dark stripes, which are restricted to posterior 45% of body; pattern on peduncle of females consisting of dark spots, which may also be present anterior to peduncle; dark pinstripes of females restricted to posterior 45% of body excluding spotted area; total dorsal-fin elements of males 36 to 38, of females 35 to 38; total vertebrae 41 to 43,45 (both sexes; 45 in only one male).

DISTRIBUTION (Figure 68).—Istiblennius steindachneri is distributed from Kenya south to Mozambique, on the east African coast. It also occurs at Juan de Nova (island off midwestern Madagascar), northern Madagascar, Mauritius, and La Digue, Seychelles. It, like I. lineatus, is also notably absent from the Chagos Islands, which are intermediate between the distributions of steindachneri and lineatus. Smith (1959:245, as Halmablennius lineatus) reported that I. steindachneri was rare in the western Indian Ocean, and, except for northern Madagascar, his observations seem to hold.

NOMENCLATURAL

Istiblennius steindachneri is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Indian ocean. It can reach a maximum of 11 cm (4.3 in) in SL. The identity of the person honoured in this blenny's specific name was not stated by Pfeffer in his description but it is almost certainly the Austrian ichthyologist Franz Steindachner (1834-1919).