WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Ringneck Blenny

Parablennius pilicornis

Also known as: Blennie Pilicorne, Coral Blenny, Fringe Blenny, Reef Blenny, Rock Blenny, Variable Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@Goonie · Spain · November 20121 / 3
01

Overview

Found singly, over rocky areas and steep walls, in surf surge zones of rocky reefs.

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.

02

How to identify

Pattern
stripes

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Indian Ocean, Southwest Atlantic, Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, over rocky areas and steep walls, in surf surge zones of rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 3

05

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. genusParablennius
    7. speciesParablennius pilicornis (Cuvier, 1829)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)