Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Emblemariopsis ruetzleri, Bluegold Glass Blenny, Ruetzler’s Blenny

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

eye cirrus low, unbranched
D spines 1-2 >> 3-4, spines slightly elongate in female
female green, blue and gold
male: front 1/2 black, D front white + black reticulations & spots
female: front D white; belly white + dark bar
PC 14

Emblemariopsis ruetzleri Tyler & Tyler, 1997

Bluegold Glass Blenny, Ruetzler’s Blenny

Body elongate; head small and shallow; snout short and blunt, without a pair of bony ridges; a low, simple cirrus over eye; roof of mouth with 1 row of 7-8 teeth 1n center, 1 row of 7-8 teeth on each side; dorsal fin XIX-XXI, 10-13, spines 1-2 >> spines 3-4 in male and female, a slight notch between spiny and soft parts, soft part not longer than spiny part, membranes between spines and rays deeply indented; pectoral rays 14; anal fin II, 19-21; pelvics I (internal), 3, inserted before pectoral base, much shorter than pectorals; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Male (found in holes): head yellowish green with small black spots or black to back to level of pectoral fin base; pupil black, with a thin gold ring around it; eye cirrus cream with black spots; rest of body transparent except for prominent internal pattern of dark and light bars on upper abdomen and along vertebral column; 1st 3 dorsal spines black with white tips, membranes behind that area clear with scattered black spots; a black spot at the base of each dorsal and anal fin ray; tail fin clear with white upper and lower edges. Female: transparent, greenish blue and gold; top of head with irregular blue-green or blue-white spots and lines; with same internal markings as male on belly and vertebral column.

Reaches only 2.2 cm.

Males live in holes in dead (rarely living) massive corals, females on algal turf on the same corals.

Depth range: 1-8 m.

The northeast and western Caribbean.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Reef only
  • Rocks
  • Barnacles & worm tubes
  • 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
  • Caribbean endemic
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 2.2
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 8