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Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) — Blenniidae

Peacock blenny

Istiblennius meleagris
Family: Blenniidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) is a brackish-water fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Brackish
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The peacock rockskipper is a small blenny from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has an elongate, scaleless body with a blunt head, skin fringes above the eyes and a pattern of fine pale spots on a dark ground. As a dweller of the turbulent intertidal zone it clings to rocks in wave channels and tidal pools and can jump among moist rocks. With its comb-like mouth it rasps algal mat from the bottom. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Peacock blenny?

The Peacock blenny has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern. Fine pale spots and a comb-toothed mouth; leaping intertidal zone rockskipper

Where does the Peacock blenny live?

The Peacock blenny lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-Pacific

How big does the Peacock blenny get?

The Peacock blenny grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Peacock blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Peacock 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.

Is the Peacock blenny edible?

The Peacock blenny is not usually eaten.

More photos

Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) — Blenniidae — 2
Astrid Osborne (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) — Blenniidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) — Blenniidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Donald Davesne (CC BY 4.0)
Peacock blenny (Istiblennius meleagris) — Blenniidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) mai_lazarus, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Peacock blenny verified
Scientific name
Istiblennius meleagris
Family
Blenniidae
Other names
Peacock rockskipper; Spotted blenny; White-speckled blenny verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Natural range
Indo-Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Algal mat (aufwuchs) inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Algae-rasping intertidal blenny; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Fine pale spots and a comb-toothed mouth; leaping intertidal zone rockskipper sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
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 Istiblennius

More from the family Blenniidae

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