WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Blackflap Blenny

Cirripectes auritus

Also known as: Black-eared Eyelash Blenny, Blackflap Blenny, Blackspot Eyelash Blenny, Coral Blenny, Earmuff Blenny, Earspot Blenny, Eyelash Blenny, Reef Blenny, Rock Blenny, Eared Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 3
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Overview

Found singly, resting on coral, rock, and sandy bottoms close to shelter, over protected clearwater, seaward and outer reefs, rich in algae and coral growth.

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, well suited for scraping food off hard surfaces!
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.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 3
LIVES IN

Found singly, resting on coral, rock, and sandy bottoms close to shelter, over protected clearwater, seaward and outer reefs, rich in algae and coral growth.

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Adult photos 3

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderBlenniiformes
    5. familyBlenniidae
    6. genusCirripectes
    7. speciesCirripectes auritus Carlson, 1981

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)