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Related FAQs: Marine Life of the Tropical West
Atlantic, Tropical West Atlantic 2,
Related Articles: TWA Invertebrates, Algae,
Vascular Plants, Introduction to
Fishwatcher's Guide Series Pieces/Sections,
Lachnolaimus maxiumus/Hogfish,
Hogfishes of the Genus Bodianus,
The Tropical West Atlantic: Bahamas to Brazil, Part 9
To: Part 1, Part 2,
Part 3, Part 4,
Part 5, Part 6,
Part 7, Part 8,
Part 10, Part 11, |
| | Bob Fenner | |
Combtooth Blennies, Family Blenniidae, Scaled Blennies, Family
Labrisomidae, Flag Blennies, Chaenopsidae, Triplefins, Family
Tripterygidae, Suborder Blennioidea. Like most tropical and cool
water marine environments on this planet the TWA is blessed with a
plethora of blennioid species. With the continuing growth of the reef
part of our hobby, you can expect more from this area as time goes by.
Presently the less-desirable, Redlip (Ophioblennius atlanticus) (1) and
Seaweed Blennies (Parablennius marmoreus) (1) make up the bulk of the
Atlantic Blenny market. These species are okay in looks, but leave much
to be desired in their pugnacious territorial behavior.
Ecotype: Shallow rocky reefs. |
Ophioblennius atlanticus (Valenciennes 1836), the Atlantic
Combtooth Blenny. Tropical Eastern and Western Atlantic. To more
than seven inches in the wild. Aquarium images. |  
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Acanthemblemaria aspera Metzelaar 1919, the Roughhead Blenny.
Tropical West Atlantic. To 1 1/4" long. Conspicuous cirri above
eyes. Color variable. Here in a hole in Cozumel. | 
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Malacoctenus bohlkei Springer 1959, the Diamond Blenny. Tropical
West Atlantic; Bahamas to Belize. This one off of South Bimini. To
about two and a half inches in length. Easily approached underwater,
once observed! | 
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Malacoctenus triangulatus Springer 1959, the Saddled Blenny.
Western Atlantic; Bahamas to Brazil, St. Paul's Rocks. To three
inches in length. This one happily perched on a leather yellow coral
(Hi Don!) in captivity. | 
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Gobies, Family Gobiidae. As with the blennioids, there are several
(from the Middle English meaning "many") species and numbers of gobies
in the TWA. Also, these fishes are as yet almost unknown in the trade;
with the exception of the genus Gobiosoma (1). These cleaner gobies are
great for all makes of marine systems. The several (here’s that word
again) species are hardy, easy to keep blips of color (they’re small)
that most fishes recognize as non-food items. The principal species of
use, G. oceanops (1) (is extensively cultured for aquarium use), but a
few others are also tank-raised. Examples of others used include, the
Yellowprow, G. xanthiprora, very similar Yellownose or Randall’s, G.
randalli, and Sharknose (G. evelynae) (2) Gobies. Ecotype:
Gobiosoma establish cleaning stations as pairs or groups, perching on
suitable biota, waiting for customers to come on by.
The Sharknose Goby, Gobiosoma evelynae Bohlke & Robins 1968.
Tropical West Atlantic; Bahamas to Venezuela. To about two inches in
length. Variable in color. Gobiosoma evelynae; blue and white
striped adults in the Bahamas, and one in Bonaire. |
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Gobiosoma illecebrosum Bohlke & Robins 1968, the Barsnout Goby.
Central Western Atlantic; Yucatan of Mexico to Panama. Identified in the
field by a white bar that runs midline between the eyes, blue line on
either side of the body that extends to the tail. Cozumel image. | 
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Gobiosoma oceanops (Jordan 1904), THE Neon Goby. Tropical West
Atlantic; southern Florida to Belize. To two inches in length. |  
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Gobiosoma prochilos Bohlke & Robyns 1968, the Broadstripe Goby.
Tropical central West Atlantic. To four cm. Bred in captivity. These
off of Cancun, Mexico. |  
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Gobiosoma randalli Bohlke & Robins
1968. Yellownose or Randall's Goby. Tropical West Atlantic; Puerto
Rico to Venezuela. To under two inches in length. Here are an
individual in captivity, and one off Bonaire. |  
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Genus Coryphopterus: |
Coryphopterus dicrus Bohlke & Robins 1960, the Colon Goby.
Tropical West Atlantic; Florida to Venezuela. To two inches in
length. In the Bahamas. | 
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Coryphopterus eidolon Bohlke & Robins 1960, the Pallid Goby.
Western Atlantic; Florida to the Lower Antilles. To two and a
quarter inches in length. This one in the Bahamas. | 
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Coryphopterus glaucofraenum Gill 1863, the Bridled Goby. Western
Atlantic; N. Carolina to Brazil. To three inches in length. One
photographed in the Bahamas, another down south in Bonaire. | 
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Coryphopterus personatus, (Jordan &
Thompson 1905), the Masked Goby. To 4 cm. Western
Atlantic; Florida to Lower Antilles. Bonaire pix, where this species
is ubiquitous on the coral reefs. | 
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To: Part 1, Part 2,
Part 3, Part 4, Part
5, Part 6, Part 7,
Part 8, Part 10,
Part 11,
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