Combtooth blennies are blenniiformids; percomorph marine fish of the family Blenniidae, part of the order Blenniiformes. They are the largest family of blennies with around 401 known species in 58 genera. Combtooth blennies are found in tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; some species are also found in brackish and even freshwater environments.
Jean-Jacques Dussumier (1792–1883) was a French voyager and merchant from Bordeaux. He is known as a collector of zoological species from southern Asia and regions around the Indian Ocean between 1816 and 1840. These collections were later studied and classified by French zoologists such as Georges Cuvier, Achille Valenciennes, among others.
Entomacrodus is a genus of combtooth blennies.
Salaria is a genus of fish in the family Blenniidae. It contains both freshwater and marine species which are found around the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. One species, the peacock blenny, has colonised the northern Red Sea through the Suez Canal, a process knowns as anti-Lesspesian migration.
The sphinx blenny is a species of combtooth blenny, and the only species in the genus Aidablennius. It was described by Achille Valenciennes in 1836, originally under the genus Blennius, and was later reassigned under "Aidablennius" by Gilbert Percy Whitley in 1947. It is a subtropical blenny known from Morocco, in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, and also from the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Sphinx blennies inhabit shallow, rocky waters in the littoral zone, with sunlight exposure. They feed primarily on benthic algae, weeds and invertebrates. Sphinx blennies can measure up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) long in total length.
Blenniella is a genus of combtooth blennies found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Antennablennius bifilum, the horned rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Indian Ocean.
Blenniella chrysospilos, the red-spotted blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans.
Blenniella cyanostigma, the striped rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Indian Ocean.
Blenniella gibbifrons, also known as the hump-headed blenny, bullethead rockskipper or picture rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans from East Africa in the west to the Hawaiian, Line and Ducie Islands, in the east and north to Marcus Island.
Blenniella interrupta, the dashed-line blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean.
Blenniella paula, the blue-dashed rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean.
Istiblennius is a genus of combtooth blennies found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The generic name is a compound noun composed of istio the Greek for "sail", referring to the high dorsal fin of the type species, Istiblennius muelleri, and blennius which is derived from a word for "mucus" and refers to the scaleless bodies that characterise the Blenniidae.
Istiblennius dussumieri, the streaky rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is also commonly known as the Dussumier's rockskipper, streaky dussumier, or the Dussumier's blenny.
Istiblennius edentulus, the rippled rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is also commonly known as the rippled blenny, smooth-lipped blenny, toothless blenny, or coral blenny. Males of this species can reach a maximum of 16 cm (6.3 in) TL, while females can reach a maximum of 13.2 cm (5.2 in) SL.
Istiblennius lineatus, the lined rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It is also commonly known as the lined blenny, black-lined blenny, or thin-lined rockskipper. It can reach a maximum of 15 cm (5.9 in) TL. This species can be found in the aquarium trade.
Istiblennius zebra, the zebra blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in tide pools around the Hawaiian Islands. It is also commonly known as the zebra rockskipper, rockskipper, jumping jack or the gori. Males of this species can reach a maximum standard length of 19.3 cm (7.6 in), while females can reach a maximum length of 14.1 cm (5.6 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Praealticus natalis, the Christmas rockskipper, Natal blenny or the Natal rockskipper, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs around Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean. This species grows to a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in) TL.
Rhabdoblennius snowi, Snow's rockskipper or the Snow blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific ocean. This species reaches a length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in) TL. The specific name of this blenny honours the collector of the type, the missionary Benjamin Galen Snow (1817-1880).
