Species: Acanthemblemaria medusa, Medusa blenny
dark spot behind eye
Acanthemblemaria medusa Smith-Vaniz & Palacio, 1974
Medusa blenny
Body elongate; short blunt head; short pointed spines from snout to a little behind eye, 2 clusters of 3-5 spines behind eyes, each spine covered with a long papilla; a single central papilla above top lip; cirri with 2-3 tips on nostrils, over eyes (1 pair, large and complexly branched), but not on nape; multiple rows of well-developed teeth on side of roof of mouth; dorsal fin XXI-XXIII, 15-17, front of fin with prominent flap, no notch between spiny and soft parts; anal fin II, 25-27; pelvics I (internal), 2-3, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.
Body brown with faint blotches along bases of median fins and mid-flank; a pupil-sized dark spot behind eye, often with a pale area below it; dense small whitish spots on lower cheek, throat and pectoral base; front ½ of dorsal fin brown, with pale edge, a dark blotch between spines II-VI.
Reaches 4 cm.
Lives in holes in rocky areas with sand bottoms and little coral.
Depth range: 1-5 m.
E to SE Caribbean.
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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- Barnacles & worm tubes
- Rocks
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Bivalves & sea cucumbers
- Reef only
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Planktivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Zooplankton
- Data
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Benthic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species.
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- GC endemic
- Continent
- All species..
- Caribbean endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 4
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 5
