| Pearl blenny | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Blenniidae |
| Genus: | Entomacrodus |
| Species: | E. nigricans |
| Binomial name | |
| Entomacrodus nigricans | |
The pearl blenny (Entomacrodus nigricans) is a species of combtooth blenny from the subfamily Salarinae of the family Blenniidae. It occurs in shallow coastal waters in the western Atlantic Ocean. [3] It is the type species of the genus Entomacrodus . [4]
Pearl blennies are pale in colour marked with dark brown bands and have extremely bright white spots along the length of theor whole bodies. They have a blunt head and a high forehead with two moderately-sized eyes. They have filaments over the eyes and on the nape which are called cirri. When breeding the male's cirri and dorsal fins become enlarged. They have slender, sharp teeth, resembling combs, in their jaws. There are 13 spines and 14-15 soft rays in the dorsal fin while the anal fin has 2 spines and 16 rays. This species may attain a Total Length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). [5] The flattened eyes are thought to be an adaptation for seeing in air. [1]
The pearl blenny is found in the western central Atlantic where its distributions stretches from Bermuda to southeastern Florida, west to the Gulf of Mexico where it ranges from the Florida Keys to Campeche, Mexico, and south through the Caribbean Sea. [1]
The pearl blenny prefers shallow waters and they are normally recorded close to the surface, as well as in tidal pools or rocks pools. The smaller individuals stay lower down in the water column so that they can avoid harsher conditions. They are largely diurnal feeders, mainly feeding on algae. They can survive on land but prefer to remain in water. Their flattish eye gives then a vision something like that of a bird. They are able to survive out of water in shade for around 2.5 hours which extends to 3.5 hours during the night but only 7 minutes in direct sunlight. [5]
The males choose small crevices or empty shells which they clean out and the female will spawn into these. [5] The eggs have an adhesive pad with which they stick to the internal surface of the nest. [3] The males guard the eggs and often fan them until they have hatched. [5]
Labrisomids are small blennioids (blennies), percomorph marine fish belonging to the family Labrisomidae. Found mostly in the tropical Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, the family contains about 110 species in 15 genera.
Blenny is a common name for a type of fish. The term is ambiguous, having been applied to several families of percomorph marine, brackish, and some freshwater fish sharing similar morphology and behaviour. Six families are considered "true blennies", all grouped together under the order Blenniiformes; its members are referred to as blenniiformids. About 151 genera and nearly 900 species have been described within the order. The order was formerly classified as a suborder of the Perciformes but the 5th Edition of Fishes of the World divided the Perciformes into a number of new orders and the Blenniiformes were placed in the percomorph clade Ovalentaria alongside the such taxa as Cichliformes, Mugiliformes and Gobiesociformes.
The flier is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a sunfish from the family Centrarchidae which is endemic to the southern United States of America. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Centrarchus. A Second World War United States Navy submarine was named the USS Flier after this fish.
The rock beauty, also known as corn sugar, coshubba, rock beasty, catalineta, and yellow nanny,is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The snowy grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The Fortescue grunter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is endemic to rivers in Western Australia.
The sailfin grouper, also known as the bacalao grouper, colorado grouper or yellow grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found off islands in the eastern Pacific.
The channel darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to North America where it typically occurs in the sandy or gravelly shallows of lakes and in small and medium-sized rivers in riffles over sand, gravel or rock bottoms. It is a small fish ranging from 34 to 72 mm in length, olive brown with darker speckles and sometimes with a dark spot below the eye and dark blotches along the flank. It feeds mostly on insect larvae and other small invertebrates and breeds in small streams. This species is listed as threatened by the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) but overall it has a wide range and numerous sub-populations and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as a "least concern species".
Salarias fasciatus is a popular marine aquarium fish species in Australasia. Despite being also known as the lawnmower blenny due to its propensity to consume algae growth from rocks and glass, it is principally a detritivore, with plant material making up only 15% of its diet. This species reaches a length of 14 centimetres (5.5 in) TL. The lawnmower blenny is generally regarded as compatible with most other marine fish species and as a group with other lawnmower blennies.
Hypleurochilus geminatus, the crested blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Atlantic ocean. This species grows to a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL.
Clinus superciliosus, the Super klipfish or Highfin klipfish, is a species of clinid that occurs in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean from northern Namibia to the Kei River in South Africa where it can be found in the subtidal and intertidal zones. This species can reach a maximum length of 30 centimetres (12 in) TL. This species feeds on benthic crustaceans including amphipods, isopods and crabs; sea urchins; gastropods; polychaete worms and other fishes.
Exerpes asper, the Sargassum blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Baja California. According to Fishbase it is currently the only known member of its genus, however, the Catalog of Fishes classifies it within the genus Paraclinus.
Enneapterygius ventermaculus, the blotched triplefin or Pakistan triplefin, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Enneapterygius. It was described by Wouter Holleman in 1982.
Zingel zingel, the zingel, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Percidae. It is found in fast-flowing streams in southeastern Europe. It is the type species of the genus Zingel.
Lepidoblennius haplodactylus, known commonly as the eastern jumping blenny, is a species of triplefin blenny in the genus Lepidoblennius. It was described by Franz Steindachner in 1867 and is the type species of the genus Lepidoblennius.
Kyphosus azureus, the zebra-perch sea chub, zebra perch or zebra sea chub, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae which is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean coasts of North America.
Bidyanus welchi, commonly known as Welch's grunter, black bream, or silver bream, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Terapontidae native to Australia.
Cymolutes praetextatus, the knife razorfish or knife wrasse, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific where it occurs over reef flats and in shallow lagoons.
The sea trumpeter is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is endemic to the southeastern Indian Ocean off the southwestern coats of Australia.
The sharpbeak terapon is a species of ray-finned fish, a grunter from the family Terapontidae. It is found in the coastal waters of Asia from southern Japan to the Philippines.
