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Chestnut blenny (Cirripectes castaneus) — Blenniidae

Chestnut blenny

Cirripectes castaneus
Family: Blenniidae

The Chestnut blenny (Cirripectes castaneus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9.2 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0.0–32.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The chestnut blenny is a scaleless blenny (Blenniidae) from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 9 cm and has a stocky, chestnut-brown body with fine red streaks on the head and a row of fringe-like appendages on the nape. As a bottom-dweller it perches on coral and rocky reefs and grazes algae and growth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Chestnut blenny?

The Chestnut blenny has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Chestnut blenny live?

The Chestnut blenny lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Chestnut blenny get?

The Chestnut blenny grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Chestnut blenny dangerous to humans?

No, the Chestnut blenny is harmless to humans.

Is the Chestnut blenny edible?

Yes, the Chestnut blenny is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kastanje-slijmvis sourced
English name
Chestnut blenny sourced
Scientific name
Cirripectes castaneus
Family
Blenniidae
Other names
Chestnut blenny; Chestnut eyelash-blenny; Muzzled rockskipper verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.2 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
32.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore sourced
Territorial
Yes inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Cirripectes

More from the family Blenniidae

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