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Norman's blenny (Blennius normani) — Blenniidae

Norman's blenny

Blennius normani
Family: Blenniidae

The Norman's blenny (Blennius normani) is a saltwater fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
11 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–200.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Norman's blenny is a small, scaleless blenny of the family Blenniidae (combtooth blennies) reaching about 11 cm. The brownish body with faint vertical bars has a blunt, high little head, often with small skin flaps (tentacles) above the eyes. Like other blennies the species has no scales but a slimy skin and usually sits on the bottom, resting on its pectoral fins. It lives among rocks, holes and growth of shallow coastal water along the West African coast, where it defends a territory. It grazes algae and picks small crustaceans and growth from the bottom. The male guards the eggs in a crevice or empty shell. Because of its small size it has no fishery value.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Norman's blenny?

The Norman's blenny has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Norman's blenny live?

The Norman's blenny lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Norman's blenny get?

The Norman's blenny grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Norman's blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Norman's blenny is harmless to humans.

Is the Norman's blenny edible?

The Norman's blenny is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Normans slijmvis inferred
English name
Norman's blenny verified
Scientific name
Blennius normani
Family
Blenniidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
11.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater verified
Substrate
Stone or rock verified
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
200.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore verified
Social behaviour
Solitary verified
Territorial
Yes verified
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes verified
Sexual dimorphism
Yes verified

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten verified
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Blennius

More from the family Blenniidae

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