Species: Gobioclinus kalisherae, Downy Blenny

Gobioclinus kalisherae (Jordan, 1904)

Downy Blenny

Body robust; head broad, snout blunt; eye large; a branched cirrus over each eye, 2 or more heavily branched cirri on each side of nape; mouth large, slightly oblique, rear of top jawbone exposed, not in a sheath; patches of small teeth behind outer row of large teeth on upper jaw; teeth present on sides of roof of mouth, some of those are distinctly larger than teeth at front of roof of mouth; usually 11 gill rakers; large fish with only 2 pores at tip of chin; notch between spines and rays of dorsal fin, usually XIX (XVIII-XX), 1st spine longest (1/2 maximum body depth), only slightly shorter than mid-fin spines, 10-12; anal fin II, usually 19; pelvic fins short (<2/3 distance to anus), with 1 internal spine, 3 soft rays, 3rd ray >½ length of 2nd, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; pectoral rays usually 13; 48-53 lateral line scales; lateral line tubes or canals at least on front of body; smooth scales on rear of body.

Tan to reddish brown, head reddish; 6-7 dark brown bars on body that extend from top to bottom of body and onto the basal half of the dorsal fin, and anal fin to a lesser extent, 2nd bar narrow; vertical fins white spotted; tail, pectoral and pelvic fins with 5-7 dark bars; base of tail fin without a bar, with 3 dark ringed light spots; lining of body cavity white, with scattered dark dots; small fish with a dark blotch on opercle, and with dorsal and anal fins heavily spotted.

Reaches 8.3 cm.

Lives in shallow rocky habitats, and coarse rubble with thick algal mats, in sheltered lagoonal environments.

Depth range: 1.5-4.6 m.

Florida to Brazil.