Bicolor Blenny, Ecsenius bicolor (Day, 1888)

ANIMAL SPECIES:Bicolor Blenny, Ecsenius bicolor (Day, 1888)

The Bicolor Blenny lives in crevices on coral reefs and comes in three colour forms. All have a curved pinkish marking behind the eye.

Identification

Three colour forms are known. The fish in the image is the two-coloured form, which is bright orange posteriorly. The second form is dark brown all over, and the third form has a more complex pattern with a black and a white stripe along the body. All three forms have a curved pinkish marking behind the eye.

Size range

Including the elongated caudal fin, this species can grow to 11 cm in length.

Distribution

The Bicolor Blenny is distributed from the central Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from the central Western Australian coast to northern New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Bicolor Blenny specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Bicolor Blenny lives in crevices on coral reefs.

Classification

Species:: bicolor
Genus:: Ecsenius
Family:: Blenniidae
Class:: Actinopterygii
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Last Updated: 1 June 2009

Share: