Home · Blenniidae · Smoothfin blenny
Smoothfin blenny (Ecsenius frontalis) — Blenniidae

Smoothfin blenny

Ecsenius frontalis
Family: Blenniidae

The Smoothfin blenny (Ecsenius frontalis) is a saltwater fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
8 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–27.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Smoothfin blenny?

Get the app

Description

The Smoothfin blenny is a small combtooth blenny (Blenniidae) from the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean. The species grows to about 8 cm and has an elongate, scaleless body with a blunt head. The colour ranges from brown to blue-grey, often with a paler belly. As a bottom-dweller it perches on coral and rocky reefs, shelters in empty worm tubes and rasps algae and growth with comb-like teeth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Smoothfin blenny?

The Smoothfin blenny has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Smoothfin blenny live?

The Smoothfin blenny lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others

How big does the Smoothfin blenny get?

The Smoothfin blenny grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Smoothfin blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Smoothfin 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 Smoothfin blenny edible?

Yes, the Smoothfin blenny is commonly eaten.

More photos

Smoothfin blenny (Ecsenius frontalis) — Blenniidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Smoothfin blenny?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Smoothfin blenny is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Smoothfin blenny sourced
Scientific name
Ecsenius frontalis
Family
Blenniidae
Other names
Smooth-fin blenny sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
27.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others 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

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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 Ecsenius

Axelrod's clown blenny (Ecsenius axelrodi) — Blenniidae
Axelrod's clown blenny
Ecsenius axelrodi
Blenniidae
 Tricolor coralblenny (Ecsenius tricolor) — Blenniidae
Tricolor coralblenny
Ecsenius tricolor
Blenniidae
 Three-lined blenny (Ecsenius trilineatus) — Blenniidae
Three-lined blenny
Ecsenius trilineatus
Blenniidae
 Oneye coralblenny (Ecsenius monoculus) — Blenniidae
Oneye coralblenny
Ecsenius monoculus
Blenniidae
 Pictus blenny (Ecsenius pictus) — Blenniidae
Pictus blenny
Ecsenius pictus
Blenniidae
 Bigeye coralblenny (Ecsenius ops) — Blenniidae
Bigeye coralblenny
Ecsenius ops
Blenniidae

More from the family Blenniidae

Adriatic blenny (Microlipophrys adriaticus) — Blenniidae
Adriatic blenny
Microlipophrys adriaticus
Blenniidae
 Arabian fangblenny (Petroscirtes ancylodon) — Blenniidae
Arabian fangblenny
Petroscirtes ancylodon
Blenniidae
 Rockpool blenny (Entomacrodus vomerinus) — Blenniidae
Rockpool blenny
Entomacrodus vomerinus
Blenniidae
 Axelrod's clown blenny (Ecsenius axelrodi) — Blenniidae
Axelrod's clown blenny
Ecsenius axelrodi
Blenniidae
 Bay blenny (Hypsoblennius gentilis) — Blenniidae
Bay blenny
Hypsoblennius gentilis
Blenniidae
 Banana blenny (Hypleurochilus bananensis) — Blenniidae
Banana blenny
Hypleurochilus bananensis
Blenniidae
 Barred blenny (Omobranchus fasciolatoceps) — Blenniidae
Barred blenny (Omobranchus fasciolatoceps)
Blenniidae
 Basilisk blenny (Salaria basilisca) — Blenniidae
Basilisk blenny
Salaria basilisca
Blenniidae
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Smoothfin blenny?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Smoothfin blenny is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Smoothfin blenny? Get the app