Species: Starksia fasciata, Blackbar blenny
male - black blotch on cheek
female - rows dots on edges preopercle & opercle
Starksia fasciata (Longley, 1934)
Blackbar blenny
Body elongate, compressed; bluntly pointed head; eye, nostril and nape cirri unbranched; dorsal fin XIX-XX, 7-8, a notch between spines and rays; 1st anal spine of male long, free from rest of fin, modified as sexual organ, no ridge or fold along anal fin base; pectorals usually 13; pelvic fins I (internal), 2, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; lateral line continuous, front section arched, rear section straight, 15 (14-16) + 19 (19-20) scales; belly naked except a row of scales in front of the anus in some large adults; smooth scales on rear of body.
Grey-brown to red-brown; body with 7 complete dark bars separated by broader pale interspaces, another bar across nape; 1-2 red spots on dorsal fin base above each body bar; male with a large dark blotch on cheek; female with a row of small dark spots along edge of preopercle and another along edge of opercle.
Reaches 2.7 cm.
Shallow rocky and weedy areas.
Depth range: 0-7 m.
The Bahamas to Cuba.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Rocks
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Reef only
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Sessile worms
- Data
- Mobile benthic worms
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- Data
- Live birth
- Global Endemism
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- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- All species.
- Regional Endemism
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- GC endemic
- Island (s) only
- All species..
- Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 2.7
- Depth Range Min
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- 0
- Depth Range Max
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- 7
