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Species: Starksia sella, Darksaddle Blenny

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9 dark saddles that extend onto D base
rear 1/3 body - dark dots
cheeks dark + reticulating pale spots
lips: dark bars
pectoral base: pale diagonal bar

Starksia sella Williams & Mounts, 2003

Darksaddle Blenny

Body elongate, compressed; bluntly pointed head; eye, nostril and nape cirri unbranched; dorsal fin XIX (XVIII-XIX), 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; 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, 16 (15-16) + 21 (20-21) scales; belly and pectoral base naked; smooth scales on rear of body.

Cheeks with reticulating pale spots on a dark background; lips with dark bars; rear 1/3 of body usually peppered with scale-sized dark spots; males without black blotch between dorsal spines I-IV, with small pale spots on snout and between eyes; lips with dark bars; a pale diagonal bar from gill opening across pectoral base; body with 9 dark saddles that extend onto lower half of dorsal fin; anal and tail fins with irregular dark bars.

Reaches 3.1 cm.

Found in crevices on vertical rock walls and on deeper reefs.

Depth range: 5-29 m.

SE Caribbean.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Reef only
  • Rocks
  • Corals
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • 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 only
  • GC endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
IUCN Red List
  • Data deficient
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 3.1
Depth Range Min
  • 5
Depth Range Max
  • 29