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Species: Emblemariopsis carib, Carib blenny

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

snout blunt, + 2 ridges
center snout - short dark line
female D spines; I-III close; I-II long; IV short, notch behind IV
male D: spine I reaches XI, top edge concave, red & white
nasal cirrus > nasal tube
D spine 1: 4-6 black & white stripes
pelvics not to anus
A 19-20

Emblemariopsis carib Victor 2010

Carib blenny

Body elongate; head short and blunt, without spines; snout with a pair of smooth bony ridges; 1 unbranched cirrus over eye, shorter than eye; 1 unbranched nasal cirrus that is longer than the nasal tube; 1 row of teeth on each side of roof of mouth; dorsal fin XIX-XXI, 10-12, 1st 3 dorsal spines close, 1st 2 closest, a gap between spines III-IV, spine I >/= spine II, spine IV is shortest, fin notched at spine IV in females and immatures; in mature male 1st 2 spines longer than spine XII, reaching past spine XI, front of fin with a concave (not notched) outline, no notch between spines and rays, anal fin II, 19-20; pectoral rays 13; pelvics I (internal), 3, inserted before pectoral base, much shorter than pectorals, longest ray not reaching the anus; all fin rays unbranched; no lateral line; no scales.

Female & immature male: transparent; red-orange pigment on the top of the head and iris; center of snout with a short, thin dark midline line that reaches at most to the level of the rear nostril: chest and belly bright white, with a red/dark saddle in the center; spinal column with alternating long red/dark  and short white streaks extending to he tail; dorsal fin - spine I with 3-4 black and white bands, membranes of 1st 2 spines grey to white (female) to clear (male); white blotches on face, bases of pectorals and pelvics; white spots on body along bases of dorsal and anal fins. Mature male: dorsal fin with 1st spine with 5-6 black and white bands, outer edge of dorsal from spines I-II to I-V  with an orange stripe bordered above and below by a white line, rest of fin dark; when breeding head and front of body blackish; tip of eye cirrus often white; base of dorsal fin black.

Reaches less than 2 cm.

Lives on live and dead massive corals on reefs.

Depth range: 1-8 m.

The E to SE Caribbean.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Reef only
  • Rocks
  • Corals
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Data
  • Carnivore
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Mobile benthic worms
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Zooplankton
  • Data
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Benthic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species.
  • West Atlantic Endemic
  • Greater Caribbean endemic
Regional Endemism
  • All species..
  • Island (s)
  • GC endemic
  • Island (s) only
  • Antilles endemic
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Least concern
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 2
Depth Range Min
  • 1
Depth Range Max
  • 8