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Species: Paraclinus nigripinnis, Blackfin blenny

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nape cirri: flat, with fingers, pale
D front spines elevated, 1 orange-ringed blue ocellus
C clear + dark basal bar
opercular spine : short, 2-8 points
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This Species (13) This Genus (8) Similar Species (7)

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Paraclinus nigripinnis (Steindachner, 1867)

Blackfin blenny

Elongate, snout bluntly pointed; no barbell on tip of chin; a simple cirrus on nostrils, eye cirrus consists of several short fingerlike projections; nape cirrus flat, with finger-like projections; opercle with 2-8 pointed spine (1 point in small juveniles) that does not reach under 3rd dorsal spine; dorsal fin XXIX-XXXI flexible spines, 0-1 rays, deep notch between 3rd and 4th dorsal spines, front spines elevated; anal fin II, 17-18; pelvic fins I (internal), 3 soft rays; all fin rays unbranched; lateral line complete, continuous, arched over pectoral fin, 31-35 scales; pectoral base with 1 row of scales; smooth scales on rear of body.

Tan to dark brown; mid-colored fish with 4-7 dark bars on body; nape cirri pale; dorsal fin with 0-8 bars, and, usually, a black, blue-centered, orange-ringed ocellus at rear of fin; a dark bar across the base of tail fin, the rest of which is clear; anal fin with 0-6 dark bars; males with more uniform color.

Reaches 5 cm.

Lives on shallow rocky reefs, tide pools, rubble areas, algal beds.

Depth range: 0-10 m.

Florida to the S Caribbean.

Note: Its Brazilian sister species is P. rubicundus.

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Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore Only
  • Inshore
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Submerged vegetation
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Reef and soft bottom
  • Rocks
  • Sand & gravel
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Benthic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species..
  • Continent + Island (s)
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 5
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 10