Species: Acanthemblemaria aceroi, Bluedotted Tube Blenny

Acanthemblemaria aceroi Hastings et. al, 2020

Bluedotted Tube 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 XXII (XXI-XXIII), 13 (12-14), a notch between spiny and soft parts; anal fin II, 23.5 (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 blackish, snout and mouth whitish, dense small blue dots over entire head and nape and along front half of spinous dorsal fin and top of back under that part of dorsal fin; a short (eye-length) white stripe under and behind eye, may have a white blotch behind mouth under rear end of white stripe; body with 3 rows of 5-8 dark blotches (along top & bottom profiles, and central flank), alternating with upper and central rows of white blotches, white irregular vertical bars may join front 3 rows of white blotches; a black spot between 1st 2 dorsal fin spines; Male with head and front half of body with black cast; white marks on lower body may be thin vertical bars.

Reaches 4.5 cm.

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

Depth range: 1-33 m, usually < 10m.

NE South America.