Species: Acanthemblemaria chaplini, Papillose Blenny

Acanthemblemaria chaplini Bohlke, 1957

Papillose Blenny

Body elongate; short blunt head; short knobby spines on 2 low ridges from between eyes to mid-snout, raised edges at sides of area between eyes with a row of 3-6 blunt papillae; short blunt papilla on side of snout between front and rear nostrils; 1 pair of strongly and asymmetrically branched (branches in one plane, with short finger like multiple tips) cirri over eyes; nostrils with cirri; multiple rows of well-developed teeth on side of roof of mouth; dorsal fin XXI-XXIII, 17-22, a flap on 1st spine, no notch between spiny and soft parts; anal fin II, 25-30; pelvics I (internal), 2-3, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Head orange to yellowish; body tan with many white and brown spots; lower head and body with dark dots; lower half of dorsal fin with white spots; front edge and border of 1st few spines of dorsal fin orange; a large black blotch spans the outer ¾ of the membranes between the first four dorsal spines.

Reaches 4.5 cm.

Lives in holes on limestone slopes & rubble around patch reefs.

Depth range: 2-12 m.

The Bahamas to the S Caribbean.