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

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.