WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Streaky Rockskipper

Istiblennius dussumieri

Also known as: Coral Blenny, Dusky Rockskipper, Dussumier's Blenny, Dussumier's Rockskipper, Reef Blenny, Rock Blenny, Rockskipper, Streaky Dussumier, Twin-banded Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@neanderthal · in my own bungalow, Thailand · February 20141 / 1
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Overview

Found singly, skipping from rockpool to rockpool, over very shallow, rocky shorelines and mangrove areas, rich in algae 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 · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, skipping from rockpool to rockpool, over very shallow, rocky shorelines and mangrove areas, rich in algae growth.

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Adult photos 1

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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. genusIstiblennius
    7. speciesIstiblennius dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1836)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

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    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)