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.
A Bicolor Blenny at North Solitary Island
Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw
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.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
Ozcam map of Bicolor Blenny specimens in the Australian Museum.
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
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.
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Tags fishes, ichthyology, Bicolor Blenny, Ecsenius, bicolor, black, yellow, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, no pattern, coral reef, marine, adult,