Parablennius tentacularis (Brünnich, 1768)

Taxonomic Identification

The tentacled blenny, scientifically known as Parablennius tentacularis, is a species of combtooth blenny.

Geographic Distribution

It is most commonly found across most of the Mediterranean Sea, excluding the eastern part, as well as in the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, and the eastern Atlantic Ocean along the coasts of Portugal, Spain, the Canary Islands, and Morocco, ranging south to Guinea.

Size

This species grows to a total length of 15 centimetres, which is 5.9 inches.

Habitat

It is a demersal fish that lives in brackish waters, including estuaries and deltas, where it inhabits sandy bottoms with light vegetation.

Reproduction

Adult males guard a suitable nesting site; several females will visit this site to deposit their eggs, after which the male fertilizes the eggs and guards them until they hatch.