Description
Also known as Coral Blenny, Edentulate Blenny, Reef Blenny, Rippled Blenny, Rock Blenny, Rockskipper Blenny, Rockskipper, Rock-skipping Blenny, Smooth-lipped Blenny, Toothless Blenny.
Found in schools in very shallow waters hiding in cracks, holes, under rocks and seaweed or energetically skipping around breakwaters, jetties over rock pools and rubble areas in protected intertidal bays and harbours. They breath air when out of the water.
They feed on filamentous algae.
Length - 16cm
Depth - 0-5m
Widespread Indo-Pacific
Combtooth Blennies are the largest family of blennies, found in both tropical and subtropical waters and freshwater habitats, as the name suggests they have comb like teeth lining their jaws.
Reef and rock blennies are usually territorial and have their own areas of rock pools which they skip and jump over, scraping algae from the surface of dead corals. Some male Blennies have small harems of arguing females.
Males and females often have different colouring and features. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/6049
1 comment
Posted by Rachael MitchellVisited Niue last year and having recently researched the fish in my photos, it would appear that I photographed some Rippled Rockskippers. Although current sightings below don't have them that far East in the Pacific, it would appear they are also present on Niue (600km from next closest land mass).