Species: Acanthemblemaria rivasi, Spotjaw Blenny

Acanthemblemaria rivasi Stephens, 1970

Spotjaw Blenny

Body elongate; short blunt head; very short blunt spines from snout back to join a rounded patch behind eyes, none on rear of nape; cirri on nostrils, over eyes (1 pair, unbranched), but not on nape; multiple rows of well-developed teeth on side of roof of mouth; dorsal fin XXI (XXI-XXII), 12.5 (11-13), a notch between spiny and soft parts; anal fin II, 22.5 (21-24); pelvics I (internal), 2-3, inserted before pectoral base; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Upper head and body greenish-brown; iris bright red, with an inner white ring; head brown, snout and mouth whitish, a few small tiny blue dots on face and nape; a white stripe under eye along cheek to edge of opercle; body with 3 rows of 5-10 dark spots (along top & bottom profiles, and central flank), alternating with 1-2 rows of bright white blotches; a black spot between 1st 2 dorsal fin spines; pectoral base white.

Reaches 3.5 cm.

Lives in abandoned worm tubes in bottoms ranging from muddy rock to live massive corals.

Depth range: 1-33 m.

Southwest Caribbean.