Species: Lupinoblennius nicholsi, Highfin Blenny

Lupinoblennius nicholsi (Tavolga, 1954)

Highfin Blenny

Body and head compressed; a single unbranched cirrus over eye, long and flat in male, no cirri on nape a short flap on nostrils; jaw teeth in single rows, fixed, bluntly pointed, with a canine tooth at rear of top and bottom jaws, canines larger in males; gill opening broad, membranes free, forming a transverse flap under throat; dorsal fin XII-XIII, without a notch between spiny and soft parts, 13-15 rays, spines longer than rays, front spines greatly elongated in male; anal II, 15-17, in males the spines and all but the last 2-3 rays have a swollen fleshy tips; fin rays unbranched, except on tail fin; lateral line in two parts, top part from top corner of operculum to under 6-7th spine, lower part short, (5-8 pores), along midline starting above anal fin origin; no scales.

Olive green, with 2 dark bars from eye to mouth and cheek; male darker, with 8-12 light oblique lines on side, female lighter, with fine whitish reticulations on top and side of body.

Reaches 6 cm.

Lives in rocky substrates.

Depth range: 0-10 m.

Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.