WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Triplespot Blenny

Crossosalarias macrospilus

Also known as: Bigspot Blenny, Coral Blenny, Onespot Blenny, Reef Blenny, Rock Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@fishx6 · Lady Musgrave Island, Australia · February 20121 / 4
01

Overview

Found singly, close to their holes, over shallow, semi-exposed coral and rock bottoms of lagoons and seaward reefs 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.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
blotches

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Pacific
  • Exact location · 4
LIVES IN

Found singly, close to their holes, over shallow, semi-exposed coral and rock bottoms of lagoons and seaward reefs rich in algae growth.

04

Adult photos 4

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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. genusCrossosalarias
    7. speciesCrossosalarias macrospilus Smith-Vaniz & Springer, 1971

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)