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Species: Starksia occidentalis, Occidental Blenny

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

3 rows small brown blotches
pale Y behind eye, lower edge with dark-ringed pale spots
D front spot
lips + dark bars
pectoral base: 2 dark-ringed spots

Starksia occidentalis Greenfield, 1979

Occidental Blenny

Body elongate, compressed; bluntly pointed head; eye, nostril and nape cirri unbranched; dorsal fin XXI (XX-XXI), 8 (7-9), 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; anal fin II, 17 (16-17); pectorals usually 14; pelvic fins I (internal), 2, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; lateral line continuous, front section arched, rear section straight, 17 (16-17) + 19-20 (19-21) scales; belly naked; smooth scales on rear of body.

Side of head with pale Y-shaped area, its lower edge with dark-ringed spots; lips with black bars; top of head with a brown bar across nape at level of operculum end; body pale, with 3 rows of brown blotches (each <eye), one row along dorsal fin base, 1 row a little above midline, 3rd row below midline; pectoral base with two dark-ringed spots; dorsal fin with a distinct spot between spines I-II; tail fin with 4-5 brown bars.

Reaches 3.6 cm.

Lives in a variety of habitats, coral, coral rock, rubble on inner and outer reefs.

Depth range 3-15 m, usually < 2 m.

The W Caribbean.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Rocks
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Corals
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef and soft bottom
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Sessile worms
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Live birth
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Continental primarily
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 3.6
Depth Range Min
  • 3
Depth Range Max
  • 15