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Species: Emblemariopsis bahamensis, Blackhead Blenny, Smoothhead Glass Blenny

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

no eye cirrus
D: front spines short, I-III close, I slightly < II-III, V-X longer; shorter than rays
male D: front black (no red or white)
male: front 1/2 black + white dots
female: translucent; cheek - white dots

Emblemariopsis bahamensis Stephens, 1961

Blackhead Blenny, Smoothhead Glass Blenny

Body elongate; head blunt, snout depressed, with a pair of smooth bony ridges; 1 row of 5-9 teeth on each side of roof of mouth; no cirrus over eye; dorsal fin XIX-XXII, 13 (11-15), front spines very short, first 3 spines closer together than remaining spines,1st spine shorter than 2nd and 3rd in both sexes, spines V-X longest; spines not declining in size to rear of fin, spiny part of fin distinctly lower than soft part, without a notch between the two parts; anal fin II, 22 (21-23); pectoral rays 13 (13-14); pelvics I (internal), 3, inserted before pectoral base, much shorter than pectorals; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Male: head, front half of body, and front half of base of anal fin black to dark brown, with white dots; light grey behind that; front of dorsal fin black, no red or white. Female translucent; cheek & opercle with white spots; top of head with pink spot between pink Y; spinal column with alternating short dark and white dashes; a row of dark spots along top and bottom body profiles.

Reaches 3 cm.

Lives in sheltered patch-reefs.

Depth range: 1-20 m.

The Bahamas to the SW 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
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Mobile benthic worms
Egg Type
  • Benthic
  • Data
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • Island (s) only
  • 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
  • 3
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 20