| Distribution |
Indian, Atlantic and Pacific. Chiefly tropical and subtropical marine; rare in fresh- and brackish water. Scaleless body (lateral line scales modified in few species). Premaxillae not protractile. Usually blunt head. Pelvic fins present in all but 2 species, before pectorals, with 1 short, inconspicuous spine and 2-4 segmented rays. No teeth in palatines; vomerine teeth present or absent. Teeth in jaws comblike, fixed or movable (canine teeth occasionally present). Dorsal spines 3-17, flexible; 9-119 segmented soft rays. Pectoral rays 10-18, unbranched. Caudal fin rays branched or unbranched. Anal spines 2. All with basisphenoid except in Nemophini. Swim bladder usually absent in adults, except in Phenablennius, Omox, and most Nemophini. Vertebrae often 28-44 (135 in Xiphasia) (Ref. 7463). Typically elongate with long dorsal and anal fins; eyes often positioned high on the head and usually with supraorbital cirri; cirri also often present near the nape, usually on the anterior nostril, variously on the posterior nostril, and near one or more of the preoperculomandibular sensory canal pores; with a spinous process on the sphenotic; the insertion of the hyomandibula relatively far posterior, well separated from the posterior margin of the orbit; the distal portion of the median-fin spines unossified in some; coracoid reduced and fused to the cleithrum; interopercle reduced in size, often not extending past the posterior end of the posterior ceratohyal; incisoriform teeth; the urohyal with 2 lateral projections on each side and strong ligamentous attachments to the respective hypohyals; adult males often with fleshy rugosities on the anal-fin spines; the lateral line on the body mostly reduced or even absent (Ref. 94102). Maximum length about 54 cm; most smaller than 15 cm (Ref. 7463). Mostly bottom dwelling species feeding on a mixed diet of algae and benthic invertebrates; some are planktivores, and some are specialized to feed on skin or fins of larger fishes, with mimic as cleaner. Males attract gravid females to lay their eggs in a small hole or crevice, or underneath empty bivalve shells. The eggs are then guarded by the male or by both parents. 420 species (Ref. 76835). Most occurring in shallow coastal marine waters, in rocky intertidal areas, coral reefs, mangroves, oyster beds and in the lower reaches of most rivers (Ref. 94102). Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters |
Mangrove Blenny 