Species: Chaenopsis ocellata, Bluethroat Pikeblenny

Chaenopsis ocellata Poey, 1865

Bluethroat Pikeblenny

Body very elongate, relatively robust; head long, elevated, its upper profile ascending to dorsal fin origin; snout long & strongly pointed, from above bluntly V shaped; pore on center of head in line with or slightly behind pore above rear of each eye; no cirri on head; long mouth, reaching far behind eye, tip of lower jaw projecting; dorsal fin often elevated at front, XVIII-XX, 34-35 (33-36); anal fin II, 34-37; dorsal and anal joined to tail fin; pelvics I (internal), 2-3, inserted before pectoral base; pectoral 12-14; tail rounded; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Sandy brown to greenish, sides of body with dark bars; throat membranes dark. Male: head dusky, throat membranes yellow to black, with blue ridges; iris orange; dorsal fin with irregular black, white and orange marks between dorsal spines I-II, without a true ocellus; front of fin pale pinkish grey; body with whitish blue spots along sides.

Reaches 12.3 cm.

Lives in worm tubes in silty seagrass beds, and sandy areas with rubble and shells..

Depth range: 0-12 m, usually in < 2 m.

Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba.