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Species: Starksia starcki, Key Blenny

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narrow bars: 3 complete then 5-6 irregular, broken

Starksia starcki Gilbert, 1971

Key Blenny

Body elongate, compressed; bluntly pointed head; eye, nostril and nape cirri unbranched; dorsal fin XXI (XX-XXI), 9 (8-9), a notch between spines and rays; anal fin II, 18-19, 1st anal spine of male long, free from rest of fin, modified as sexual organ, no ridge or fold along anal fin base; pectorals 13; pelvic fins I (internal), 2, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; lateral line continuous, front section arched, rear section straight, 15 (14-15) + 21 (21-22) scales; belly completely scaled; smooth scales on rear of body.

Orangish to pale tan; 2 dark spots immediately behind lower half of eye; body with 3 complete, widely separated strong, strongly contrasting dark bars at front (1st across nape and extending down onto operculum, 3rd across mid-belly) followed by either 5-6 irregular bars broken on mid-flank, sometimes by a horizontal stripe, those bars extending onto dorsal and anal fins; a large dark blotch on lower pectoral base.

Reaches 4 cm.

Lives in surge channels on reefs.

Depth range: 6-19 m.

Florida to the NW 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 + Island (s)
  • Continental primarily
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 4
Depth Range Min
  • 6
Depth Range Max
  • 19