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Blennidae
in British Seas
Shorewatch
Biological Recording Information Page
Common Blenny
Photograph
by Andy Horton
The Blenny is widespread and common on rocky shores throughout the length
of the British Isles, but its distribution does not extend much further
afield, although it is found on all French shores. The Blenny is not found
in the Mediterranean Sea. This small fish reaches a length of 165 mm and
rests on rocks out of the water when the tide is out. Juvenile fish can
be very common in the pools. The young fish feed on acorn barnacles.
The Common Blenny is also called the Smooth Blenny because it lacks
the lappets or fringe on the forehead present in most of this family.
Photograph by
Ron Barrett
The Tompot Blenny lives below the low
tide mark and is only occasionally found on the shore. This is the blenny
often seen by divers. It is an very aggressive small fish that reaches
a length of 30 cm. It feeds on all invertebrate animals especially sea
anemones.
This fish is found off the south and west coasts of Britain and in seas
as far south as the Mediterranean.
Another blenny species Parablennius ruber
has been recorded in British seas. This new blenny is very similar to the
Tompot Blenny and specimens may have
been overlooked before.
Image
Photographs by Ron Barrett
The lappets are different on these two species above. Montagu's
Blenny (Right) is found between the tides during the summer on a few shores
in the south-west of Britain. This southern species has blue spots over
its body.
Butterfly Blenny
The rarest of the four British Blennidae is the Butterfly Blenny, Blennius
ocellaris, which is found in deep water and never on the shore, although
there are unconfirmed reports of specimens found intertidally on the Isle
of Man coast. There is a photograph of this fish in the Plymouth
Aquarium Guide by Geoff Potts, 1983. ISBN
0 903241 05 6.
Differences between Blennies &
Gobies
British Gobiidae
BMLSS Fish page
Gobies
and Blennies Photographs ("Smart Group Portfolio")
Fishbase
World Blenniidae List
