Threeline basslet (Lipogramma trilineata)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Lipogramma trilineata, the three-lined basslet, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Grammatidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the waters off southeastern Florida south through the Bahamas into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea as well as the coasts of Central and South America from Quintana Roo, Mexico to Nicaragua, and the seas off Cartagena and those off Venezuela at Curaçao and Bonaire. It occurs underneath rocky and coral ledges as well as occurring in deep reefs and on the outer wall at depths ranging from 22-69 m. Its range has been invaded by lionfish, an invasive species in the western Atlantic, which prey on a variety of fish species smaller than 15 cm which means that both adults and juveniles L. trineata are likely prey of lionfish.
- Scientific name
- Lipogramma trilineata
- Authority
- Randall, 1963
- Family
- Grammatidae
- Order
- Ovalentaria incertae sedis
- Maximum length
- 3.5 cm
- Depth range
- 5–95 m
- Habitat zone
- demersal
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 128
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Ovalentaria incertae sedis · Family: Grammatidae · Genus: Lipogramma.
Accepted name: Lipogramma trilineata · Authority: Randall, 1963 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 314858.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Lipogramma trilineatum Randall, 1963.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=314858 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Lipogramma trilineata. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 3.5 cm · Depth range: 5–95 m · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: of potential interest.
FishBase notes: Found beneath rocky and coral ledges (Ref. 5521). Also found in deep reefs and outer wall at depths from 22-69 m (Ref. 26938).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 3356) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lipogramma-trilineata.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
128 georeferenced occurrence records for Lipogramma trilineata are published through GBIF from 12 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 22 distinct locations from a sample of 128 records, omitting 3 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Belize (45); Honduras (20); Bahamas (12); Colombia (11); Curaçao (11); Jamaica (9); Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (8); Saint Barthélemy (3); Turks and Caicos Islands (3); United States of America (3); Cayman Islands (2); Mexico (1).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2380550) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2380550&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=314858 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Lipogramma trilineata Randall, 1963 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 186026) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/186026/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2380550) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2380550/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Lipogramma trileaneata has an elongated, compressed body with a large eye and short snout, the mouth sits at the front of the head, and it has teeth on its jaws, vomer and palatine bone. The upper part of the head the back and the dorsal fin are yellow to reddish orange while the rest of the bos is bluish grey., the yellow colouration can cover the whole body. There are three black-edged blue lines, one along the centre of the snout, through the forehead and the nape and one on each side from the eye to beneath the front of the dorsal fin. There is a blue line along the margin of the dorsal fin and the other fins are a translucent blue.
Source: Wikipedia: Lipogramma trilineata — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogramma_trilineata (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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