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  • cirri: small, branched, on nostrils, eyes & nape
    D: XXI, 10; spines lower than rays
    Cottoclinus canops, Intermediary blenny
    A: I; rays thick, membranes cut to bases
  • simple cirri - nostril, eye, nape
    D XXVII, 11-13; 1st 3 spines elongate, flexible
    reddish
    Cryptotrema seftoni, Hidden blenny
    operculum - no spines
    LL bends under D spine ~XX, front part 45-50 scales open under scales
  • eyes and nape with cirri
    very elongate
    eye divided
    Dialommus fuscus, Galapagos foureye blenny
    A I, 28
  • eyes & nape - no cirri
    very elongate
    eye divided
    Dialommus macrocephalus, Foureye rockskipper
    A II, 24
  • elongate, very compressed
    snout long, pointed
    D1: III-IV long spines
    D2 - 2 ocelli
    Exerpes asper, Sargassum blenny
  • D XX, 1st 3-4 spines high, notch after
    Labrisomus dendriticus, Bravo blenny, Dendritic blenny, Bravo clinid
    lower jaw: large rear canine
    opercle - dark/yellow blotch
    pectoral 13
    A 19-20
  • head female dark spots, male red
    body: mottled + 5-6 bars
    D ocellus, front spines not long
    Labrisomus jenkinsi, Jenkins' blenny
    LL 58-62
    A 17
  • cheek: 2 oblique stripes
    many head pores
    body heavily mottled
    fins: rows spots
    D front spines short
    Labrisomus multiporosus, Pore-head blenny
    side roof mouth + teeth
    LL: 65-69
    A 17-18
  • male head - dense blue dots
    head cirri short
    body & fins barred + spots
    pectoral ~15
    D front spines short
    Labrisomus philippii, Philipp's blenny
    LL 68-75
    A 18-20
  • slender
    snout long, pointed
    D XVIII
    operculum: large ocellus
    Labrisomus pomaspilus, Spotcheek blenny
    LL 55-58
    A 18
  • body: 4 bars
    fins: irregular bars
    D ocellus at front
    male red
    Labrisomus socorroensis, Socorro blenny, Misspelled blenny
    cheeks & operculum edge scaly
    LL 67-68
    A 18
  • behind eye: 2 oblique bars
    D: front spines shortest, membranes indented
    body - thin dark stripes
    Labrisomus striatus, Green blenny
    LL 42-44
    A 17
  • nape cirri long
    D XVII-XVIII, high front
    body: 7 bars, extend onto D, ocellus between 1st 2 bars
    Labrisomus wigginsi, Baja blenny
    no canines
    LL 60-64
    pectoral 15
    A 16-17
  • body: ~ 8 bars
    dense white spots: lower head & body
    Labrisomus xanti, Large-mouth blenny
    LL 64-69
    A 17-19
  • D dark front, 1st spine long, XIX
    body 6 bars; flank: series rows of dots
    wide space between nape cirri
    behind chin 4-7 pores
    Malacoctenus costaricanus, Costarican blenny
    D XIX
    A: 19
    LL 50-51
    scales before D & on pectoral base
  • male: rear back - 3 black blotches + white dots
    female: yellowish, diffuse bars, many white dots
    D XX
    Malacoctenus ebisui, Fishgod blenny
    behind chin 1-2 pores
    A 20
    LL 52-58
    scales before D, not on pectoral base
  • body: 4-5 dark bars
    female - mesh of lines on flank
    male - red below
    D XXI, 12
    Malacoctenus gigas, Sonora blenny
    behind chin 1-2 pores
    A 22-23
    LL 53-65
    scales on pectoral base, & bread & sometimes nape
  • body: bars
    flank: narrow stripes
    pelvic base: dark spot
    Malacoctenus hubbsi, Redside blenny
    under head usually barred
    male: lower 1/2 red
    behind chin 1-3 pores
    A 18-23
    LL 54-56
    +/- scales on pectoral base, none before D
  • female: many irregular blotches
    operculum: white-edged dark oval
    male: rear back - 3 black blotches
    behind chin 2 pores
    pectoral 15
    Malacoctenus margaritae, Margarita blenny
    A 20-23; LL 51-56
    belly & flank scales same size
    scales before D & on pectoral base
  • female: many irregular blotches
    operculum: white-edged dark oval
    male: rear back - 3 black blotches
    behind chin 1 pore
    pectoral 15
    Malacoctenus mexicanus, Mexican blenny
    A 20-23; LL 51-56
    belly & flank scales same size
    scales before D & on pectoral base
  • body: bars
    flank stripes
    under head spotted
    behind chin 5-6 pores
    A 18-23
    LL 51-53
    Malacoctenus polyporosus, Porous blenny
    pelvic base dark spot
    male red below
    scales: pectoral base +/-, none before D
  • behind eye: 2 dark spots
    throat & belly spotted
    border front D: dark blotch
    behind chin 7-11 pores
    A 22
    LL 54-58
    Malacoctenus sudensis, Southern blenny
    scales before D, not on pectoral base
  • just behind eye - black spot
    lower head & body: many dark spots
    A 18-20
    Malacoctenus tetranemus, Speckled blenny, Throat-spotted blenny
    LL 53-61
    male: scales on breast
    no scales on nape, +/- on pectoral base
  • lower body ~ 6 brown lines
    flank - central stripe
    Malacoctenus zacae, Zaca blenny
    pectoral & belly yellow
    A 18-20
    LL 50-55
    no scales before D or on pectoral base
  • 2 dark blotches behind eye
    throat & belly: dark spots
    front D: outer edge not dark
    behind chin 4-5 pores
    Malacoctenus zonifer, Glossy blenny
    A 19
    LL 54-58
    scales before D, not on pectoral base
  • throat & chest - dark bars
    Malacoctenus zonogaster, Belted blenny, Spot-belly blenny
    upper operculum -dark blotch
    A 20-22
    LL 57-64
    +/- scales before D, none on pectoral base
  • D:1st spine very long, 1 ray
    Paraclinus altivelis, Topgallant blenny, High-sail blenny
    pink to orange
    opercular spine conical, sharp
    opercular spine - conical
    A - row black blotches
    LL 36-38
    nape & pectoral base scaled
  • dark
    D, A & C - white bars
    D: no rays, 1st spine long, 1 ocellus
    Paraclinus beebei, Beebe's blenny, Pink blenny
    opercle & pectoral base - white spots
    LL 32-35
    nape & pectoral base scaleless
  • body: 4 bars
    D: front spines short, 1 ray
    C base - dark bar
    Paraclinus ditrichus, Leastfoot blenny, Two-rayed blenny
    oblique bar behind eye
    edge of preopercle: row spots
    A dark, clear margin
    pelvic 2
    LL 33
    nape & pectoral base scaled
  • head, body & fins uniform
    D: front high, no rays
    Paraclinus fehlmanni, Fehlman's blenny
    pectoral & pelvic: rows dark spots
    opercular spine flat
    LL 35-36
    pectoral base no scales
  • eye & nape cirri hand-like
    D: 1 ray, 1st spine long
    Paraclinus magdalenae, Magdalena blenny
    body - 5 bars
    C base -bar
    pelvic rays 3&2 fused
    LL 35-36
    nape & pectoral base scaled
  • D: 1st spine short, 0-2 rays, black ocellus + ~7 bars
    Paraclinus mexicanus, Mexican blenny
    dark oblique bar from eye
    pelvic rays 3&2 fused
    LL 31-36
  • nape cirrus: small triangle
    D:, 1st spine low, 1ray, border white
    Paraclinus monophthalmus, One-eyed blenny
    black blotch top operculum
    A dark, white margin
    LL 36-40
  • each scale with small flap
    D: no rays, front hight, 1-2 ocelli at rear
    Paraclinus sini, Flap-scale blenny
    mottled red-brown, white flecks
    LL 32-37
    scales with skin flaps
  • body & A 6-7 bars
    eye cirrus branched
    D: 1 ray
    C base - 2 semicircular bars
    Paraclinus stephensi, Stephens' blenny, Professor blenny
    oblique bar from eye
    border operculum & preoperculum: row spots
    LL 39
    nape & pectoral base scaled
  • D: front high, no rays, dark
    C: clear
    Paraclinus tanygnathus, Long-jaw blenny
    white bands: under & after eye, pectoral base
    A: dark + clear blotches
    LL 31-33
  • head cirri small, nasal & nuchal may be absent
    2 spots in row behind & below eye
    soft D, A & C rays barred
    Starksia cremnobates, Rock-haunt blenny, Fugitive blenny
    belly scaleless
    rear LL: pores (not tubes)
  • head cirri short
    D & A bases: row black spots
    Starksia fulva, Yellow blenny
    operculum dotted
    pectoral base: 2 spots
    belly: 3-5 scale rows before anus
  • head cirri short
    rear body: 2 rows dark spots
    Starksia galapagensis, Galapagos blenny
    lips: 2 pairs bars
    belly scaleless
    LL 38-42
  • nasal cirrus > nostril tube
    pale bar behind eye
    D base - 6-8 dark blotches
    rear body: 6-8 lines along scale rows
    Starksia grammilaga, Side-lined blenny, Pinstriped blenny
    pectoral base dark
    belly scaleless
    LL 36-39
  • nasal cirrus very long
    body: 9 bars
    C clear
    Starksia hoesei, Hoese's blenny, Hose blenny
    lips: 4 pairs bars
    belly scaleless
    LL 41-43
    A 20-21
  • nasal cirrus 2-3x length nasal tube
    body: 6 bars, last 2 form Y
    body bars extend onto D
    Starksia lepidogaster, Scaly-bellied blenny
    belly completely scaled
    LL 35-36
    C & A clear
  • cirri: nape none, eye small, nasal cirrus long
    body: 2-3 rows blotches forming bars
    D: black spot at front, base - red & green spots
    Starksia posthon, Brown-spotted blenny
    belly scaleless
    LL 39
    A 19
  • head cirri small
    cream stripe - snout through eye
    body: clusters dots form irregular bars
    Starksia spinipenis, Phallic blenny
    belly scaleless
    LL 38-42
  • eye & nape cirri simple
    D: notch after spines; front not high, with black spot
    Xenomedea rhodopyga, Red-rump blenny
    oblique brown & white bars behind eye
    A: base with fleshy ridge