|
How does it look like?
The sphynx blenny has a robust head and an elongated and compressed body about 6-7 centimeters long. Above the eyes there are small filamentous and unbranched tentacles which are clearly visible, especially in males which show longer ones. It has a dorsal fin divided into two parts, a first very high spiny and a softer one below. It also has powerful pectoral fins. The caudal fin is rounded and the ventral fins, difficult to see in dives, are very reduced. The male differs from the female by a rounded and bluish spot, with a reddish tones zone around it, which appears behind the eye. The coloration is more or less white with dark bands all over the body.
Where does it live?
It lives at very shallow depths, up to about 3 meters at the most, on the rocks or algae of the Mediterranean. It almost always hides in small holes, from which it enters and leaves frequently.
How does it feed?
It is an omnivorous fish, but with a strong herbivorous tendency of the macrohabitats it inhabits.
How does it reproduce?
Their reproductive biology is characterized by shallow spawning with constant attention from the parents. The reproductive period is between spring and summer.
Is a confusion possible?
It can be confused with other blennnids such as Blennius ocellaris Linnaeus 1758 or Parablennius incognitus (Bath, 196), with quite similar horns and a quite similar coloration.
Curiosities
· It is a fish that, although it is quite common in dives, it is easily frightened.
Taxonomy
Phylum: Chordata, Class: Osteichthyes, Superorder: Acanthopterygii, Order: Perciformes, Suborder: Blennioidei, Family: Blenniidae, Family: Blenniidae |
