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Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) — Blenniidae

Elegant blenny

Omobranchus elegans
Family: Blenniidae

The Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) is a saltwater fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Omnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam

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Description

The elegant blenny is a small scaleless blenny (Blenniidae) from coastal and brackish water of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 6 cm and has an elongate body with fine crossband and dot markings and a blunt head. As a bottom-dweller it shelters in empty shells, holes and oyster beds of shallow coastal water and snaps at small invertebrates and algae. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Elegant blenny?

The Elegant blenny has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Elegant blenny live?

The Elegant blenny lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam

How big does the Elegant blenny get?

The Elegant blenny grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Elegant blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Elegant blenny is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

More photos

Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) — Blenniidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) keiji0505, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) — Blenniidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) WATANABE Hitoshi 渡辺仁, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) — Blenniidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) nittan_lover, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Elegant blenny (Omobranchus elegans) — Blenniidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) yah_japan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Elegant blenny sourced
Scientific name
Omobranchus elegans
Family
Blenniidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Invertebrates, algae and detritus inferred
Territorial
Yes inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Omobranchus

More from the family Blenniidae

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