Four-fingered Lipsucker

Andamia tetradactylus is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Pacific Ocean, around the Ryukyu Islands and Indonesia.

Description

It is characterized by having a cup-shaped labial disk behind the lower lip. All caudal fin rays unbranched. Nuchal cirri absent. Supraorbital cirrus pinnate. Nasal cirrus small and simple. Triangular occipital crest developed in male, and absent in female. Dorsal fin with XVI spines and 15-18 soft rays; anal fin with II spines and 24-25 soft rays; pectoral fin with 15 soft rays; pelvic fin with I spines and 4 soft rays.

They don't often go into the water, but use a sucker-like structure located below the lower lip to stick on rocks and harbor walls along the surf line. They move from one place to another by hopping on rocky areas above water.

Distribution

Western Pacific: Ryukyu Islands, Philippines and Indonesia.

Habitat

Found on rocks in the surf line constantly washed by sprays or breakers.

The IUCN classify this species as Data Deficient as this species, Andamia heteroptera and A. reyii are confused and their exact distributions are uncertain.