Kingdom Animalia Class Actinopterygii Suborder Blennioidei Scientific name Exerpes asper | Phylum Chordata Order Perciformes Family Labrisomidae Rank Species | |
Similar Paraclinus, Malacoctenus, Labrisomus | ||
Exerpes asper, the Sargassum blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Baja California. It is currently the only known member of its genus.
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Description
The Sargassum blenny has two quite distinct dorsal fins. The face is elongated and the mouth resembles that of a pike. There are no cirri. The general colour is brown with patches of silver on the flanks and there are 2 blue eyespots on the posterior dorsal fin. This fish grows to a length of 6.5 centimetres (2.6 in) TL.
Biology
The Sargassum blenny lives among sargassum seaweed or in seagrass meadows where it is well camouflaged. It is found among the fronds of floating Sargassum mats. When threatened it tends to curl its head round near its tail and remain motionless, relying on its cryptic appearance to escape detection.