Blennies are common inhabitant of tidepools and reefs.  They have elongate bodies with long dorsal and anal fins, blunt foreheads, and small paired pelvic fins.  Most are herbivorous, using comb-like teeth to graze upon algal turfs but Plagiotremus are carnivorous, with large incisors that take chunks of flesh from unwary fish and the occasional diver.  Many species are cryptic or inhabit the surge zone.  Hawaiians called them Pao'o.

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 2 feet

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 3 feet

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 3 feet

Sharks Cove, Oahu, 3 feet

Common on shallow reefs living in empty vermetid tubes.  Base color green in females and gray with reddish brown in males.  Attains 5 inches.  Western Indian Ocean, Micronesia, and Hawaii.

Portlock, Oahu, 5 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Inhabits shallow rocky reefs in the surge zone but rarely seen.  Purple-brown with tiny white speckles and males are orange during spawning.  Attains 8 inches.

Frigate Point, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Portlock, Oahu, 5 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Very common on shallow reefs but darts into holes when approached.  Attains 4 inches.

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Ft. Kamehemeha, Oahu, 1 foot

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Diamond Head, Oahu

Guarding eggs, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Guarding eggs, Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Endemic to Hawaii.  Common in the intertidal zone.  Observed on exposed rocks at night, possibly grazing upon algae.  Attains 6 inches.

Female, Pohoiki, Hawaii, 6 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Inhabits shallow rocky reefs in the surge zone.  Attains nearly 2 inches.  Photo by John Hoover.

Female, Kahe Point, Oahu, 20 feet

Male, Kahe Point, Oahu, 20 feet

Guarding eggs, Pearl & Hermes Reef, 40 feet

Male, Kahe Point, Oahu, 20 feet

Deep body with brown spots, red in males.  Feeds and lays yellow eggs upon Lobe Coral or Porkchop Coral.  Attains 6 inches.  Indo-Pacific and Hawaii.

Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu

Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Makapu'u tidepool, Oahu

Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Kaupo tidepool, Oahu

Juvenile, Kapoho Point, Kailua, Oahu

Endemic to Hawaii.  Very common in the intertidal zone.  Elongate body with fleshy fins, flap on head, and banded gray or black.  Usually seen leaping from pool to pool when disturbed.  Attains 7.5 inches.

Moku O Loe, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, 2 feet

Uncommon on seaweed covered surfaces and mangroves in shallow water of Kaneohe Bay, Oahu.  Has numerous white chevrons on side.   Less than 2 inches.  Andaman Sea east to Samoa and the Line Islands.  Introduced to Hawaii accidentally in 1951.

Waimanalo, Oahu, 20 feet

Palea Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Ke'ei, Hawaii, 30 feet

NWHI coloration, Angel Ledge, Midway Atoll, 70 feet

NWHI coloration, Fish Hole, Midway Atoll, 40 feet

Waimea Bay, Oahu, 40 feet

Waimea Bay, Oahu, 40 feet

Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 45 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Fish from the NW end of the chain are dark brown with less blue below.  Lives in vermetid snail tubes.  Pretends to be a cleaner wrasse and bites chunks out of other fishes.  Attains 4 inches.  Related to P. rhinorhynchos or the Indo-Pacific.

Waimanalo, Oahu, 20 feet

Kaena Point, Oahu, 25 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 25 feet

Waimea Bay, Oahu, 40 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 20 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 20 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 20 feet

Firehouse, Oahu, 20 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Lives in vermetid snail tubes.  Pretends to be a cleaner wrasse and bites chunks out of other fishes.  Attains 4 inches.  Related to P. tapeinosoma of the Indo-Pacific.

Triplefins are similar in appearance to Gobies and Blennies but have three dorsal fins and the mouth tapers to a point.  They are not easily spotted because of the small size and cryptic coloration.  They eat algae and small invertebrates.

Makai Pier, Oahu, 10 feet

Pupukea tidepool, Oahu

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Kaloko, Oahu, 2 feet

Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 3 feet

Endemic to Hawaii.  Common on reefs with algal growth but difficult to see.  Only 1 inch long.  Males are reddish with a dark head, females green with light blotches.

Waikiki Aquarium

Feeds upon zooplankton in the water column above coral reefs in the company of anthias or damselfishes of similar color.  May be yellow-orange or blue-gray.  Attains 5 inches.  Red Sea to the Marquesas.

Wakatobi, Indonesia

Inhabits the surge zone.  Attains 1.5 inch.  Indonesia to the Solomons.

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 60 feet

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 40 feet

Wakatobi, Indonesia, 40 feet

Schools of juveniles are locally common under ledges at scuba depth but adults remain deep within the reef.  Juveniles about 2 inches, adults up to 14 inches.  Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, Solomons.

Rainbow Harbor, Long Beach, California, 4 feet

Occasional in quiet shoreline areas including estuaries.  Up to 6 inches.  Monterey Bay south to the Sea of Cortez.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 25 feet

Lives in vermetid snail tubes.  Pretends to be a wrasse and bites chunks out of other fishes.  Attains 4 inches.  Sea of Cortez to Peru and the Galapagos.  Related to P. tapeinosoma of the Indo-Pacific.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 25 feet

Common in shallow rocky areas with seaweeds.  About 1.5 inches.  Baja California to Panama.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, 25 feet

Endemic to the Sea of Cortez, Mexico.  Rocky reefs and dropoffs.  About 2.5 inches.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 15 feet

Endemic to the Sea of Cortez.  Inhabits worm shells tubes to at least 200 feet.  About 2.5 inches

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 15 feet

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 5 feet

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 5 feet

Inhabits empty barnacles or worm shells to 50 feet.  Southern Baja to Acapulco and the Revillagigedos.  About 2.5 inches.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 5 feet

Endemic to the Sea of Cortez.  Found on shallow seaweed covered reefs.  About 5 inches.

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, 5 feet

Found in shallow rocky areas.  About 4 inches.  Sea of Cortez to Acapulco, Mexico.  

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