Paraclinus grandicomis, the horned blenny, is a perciform marine species of labrisomid blenny native to reefs of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.[2] It is a benthic fish so it cruises along above the sandy or rocky seabed and foraging for crustaceans.[3]
| Paraclinus grandicomis | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Labrisomidae |
| Genus: | Paraclinus |
| Species: | P. grandicomis
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| Binomial name | |
| Paraclinus grandicomis (N. Rosén, 1911)
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| Synonyms | |
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Habitat
editThe horned blenny can be commonly found in shallow waters, between 0 to 3 meters, inhabiting sponges, corals, and sea anemones.[4][5] Its habitat choice relies on the abundance of food and shelter from predators, that is why it can be observed occupying seabed clams, oysters, shells, and submerged vegetation like mangroves and seagrass.[4]
Geographic Distribution
editThe Paraclinus grandicomis inhabits tropical waters that range from Southern Florida through the Lesser Antilles.[2] This species dwells in tropical (10-23N) and subtropical (23-35N) climate zones.[3]
Physical Description
editThe horned blenny is a brown colored fish covered in pale mottling all over its body and head,[3] Dorsal, anal, and tail fins have dark brown bases, and pale or clear edges.[3] This species is characterized by having elongated snouts that are blunt at the end and a singular large horn called the maxillary bone branching from their heads, additionally thin strands of cirrus cover the nostrils and line its stalk from eyes to dorsal fin.[3] The blenny’s spine is composed of 34-35 small vertebrae,[6] giving it a maximum length of only 4 centimeters.[2]
Ecology
editThe horned blenny, as well as some other Caribbean reef fishes, have developed behavioral and physiological adaptations that make them immune to stings of sea anemones. The acclimation process can take several minutes to several hours of being stung repeatedly by an anemone tentacle to build resistance.[5]
Feeding
editHorned blennies are carnivorous fish that do not only feast on seabed worms but also benthic crustacea; both of these food sources can be found in large quantities at the sea floor of shallow waters where most blennies live.[3]
Sexual Dimorphism
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Typically the length of the protruding maxillary bone of blennies is longer in males than in females of the same species, however, proportional differences are maintained among species. the horned blenny, both male and female have their horns located on the anterior half of the skull orbit.[7]
References
edit- ^ Williams, J.T. (2014). "Paraclinus grandicomis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T47144544A48385115. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T47144544A48385115.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Paraclinus grandicomis". FishBase. October 2013 version.
- ^ a b c d e f "Species: Paraclinus Grandicomis, Horned Blenny". Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. 2015.
- ^ a b Tyler, James; Böhlke, James (1972-09-01). "Records of Sponge-Dwelling Fishes, Primarily of the Caribbean". Bulletin of Marine Science. 22: 601–642.
- ^ a b Hanlon, Roger T.; Hixon, Raymond F. (July 1986). "Behavioral associanons of coral reef fishes with the sea anemone Condylactis gigantea in the Dry Tortugas, Florida". www.ingentaconnect.com. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ Cavalluzzi, Martin R.; Olney, John E. (1998). Preliminary guide to the identification of the early life history stages of blennioid fishes of the western central Atlantic, faunal list and meristic data for all known blennioid species (PDF). NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-416. p. 86.
- ^ Brooks, Meriel; Strauss, Richard E. (1992). The Ontogeny and Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism in Paraclinin Blennies (Teleostei: Labrisomidae). Ann Arbor: The University of Arizona. p. 58.
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