Species: Paraclinus barbatus, Goatee Blenny

Paraclinus barbatus Springer, 1955

Goatee Blenny

Elongate, snout bluntly pointed; a prominent eye-length barbell on tip of chin; simple cirri on nostrils, cirri on eyes and nape are paddle-like with rounded knobs on their ends; opercular spine reaches past under 3rd dorsal spine; dorsal fin XXVIII-XXIX flexible spines, 1 ray, deep notch between 3rd and 4th dorsal spines, front spines slightly elevated; anal fin II, 19-20; pectorals 13; pelvic fins I (internal), 3; all fin rays unbranched; lateral line complete, continuous, arched over pectoral fin, 37 scales, many without tubes; smooth scales on rear of body.

Body burnt orange to red; upper body with large irregular white blotches; head darker, grading to purplish red at front; snout and chin barbel whitish; a purplish-red, white bordered bar from eye down to underside; iris orange red, with black radiating lines; a white blotch from lower edge of preopercle down to underside; a white blotch down and back from inner pectoral base to underside; pectoral and pelvics yellow, with 3 black bars; dorsal fin with orange base, white outer part, 3 black, yellow-and red-ringed ocelli on rear part; anal fin base black, outer part white; tail fin white, with black bars.

Reaches 5 cm.

Lives in areas of rich coral cover on dropoffs.

Depth range: 12-50 m.

The Bahamas to the S Caribbean.