lizard triplefin
Crocodilichthys gracilis Allen & Robertson, 1991
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The lizard triplefin, Crocodilichthys gracilis, is a fish of the family Tripterygiidae and only member of the genus Crocodilichthys, found in the Gulf of California in the Tropical Eastern Pacific at depths down to 38 m. Its length is only up to about 64 mm. In some regions of the Gulf of California, such as Bahía de los Ángeles, this species is closely associated with microhabitats formed by the coral Porites panamensis, where it can reach average densities of up to 9 individuals per square meter. The body of Crocodilichthys gracilis is pale tan or pinkish, with a dark snout and an iris marked by red and black bars. It features approximately three longitudinal rows of double red-brown spots, with the lowest row separated by white dashes along the midline. A prominent black band, with a white anterior border, encircles the base of the tail and extends onto the fin. The outer part of the tail fin is red, while the central portion is cream-colored.
Wikipedia contributors, Lizard triplefin; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T06:00:39.201846+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Crocodilichthys gracilis Allen & Robertson, 1991
- Name authority
- Allen & Robertson, 1991
- Common name
- lizard triplefin
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Blenniiformes
- Family
- Tripterygiidae
- Genus
- Crocodilichthys
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderBlenniiformes
- familyTripterygiidae Whitley, 1931
- subfamilyTripterygiinae Whitley, 1931
- genusCrocodilichthys Allen & Robertson, 1991
- speciesCrocodilichthys gracilis Allen & Robertson, 1991
Close classified relatives
No other member of this genus is present in the selected snapshot.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Allen, G. R., & Robertson, D. R. (1991). Description of two new genera and four new species of triplefins (Pisces: Tripterygiidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific. Revue Française d’Aquariologie Herpétologie, 18. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:ZKHQ. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.