Jewelled Blenny

Salarias fasciatus, known as the jewelled blenny or lawnmower blenny, is a small marine fish native to the Indo-Pacific region, from the 🌊 Red Sea and East Africa to 🇼🇸 Samoa, including the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan), Great Barrier Reef, and 🇳🇨 New Caledonia (🇫🇷 Overseas France). It inhabits shallow reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 8 meters (3.3 to 26 feet) and is commonly found in areas with abundant algae among rocks and coral outcrops. The blenny is well-adapted to camouflage, having the ability to change its coloration to blend with its surroundings to avoid predators.

The fish typically grows to a maximum length of 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) and is olive to brown with distinctive dark bars and numerous white spots. It also has pale spots, dark streaks, and small, bright blue spots with dark outlines along the rear of the body. Its dorsal fin is continuous, lacking a notch, and features 12 spines and 18 to 20 soft rays. The anal fin has 2 spines and 19 to 21 soft rays, with males displaying elongated rays at the front. The fins are connected to the base of the tail fin by a skin membrane.

Salarias fasciatus is primarily a detritivore, consuming debris from the ocean floor, with plant material comprising only about 15% of its diet. Despite its nickname as the lawnmower blenny due to its algae-scraping behavior, it feeds mainly on detritus. It exhibits facultative air-breathing abilities and can be found in reef flats, lagoons, and estuarine areas.

This species is oviparous, meaning it reproduces by laying eggs. The adhesive eggs are attached to surfaces via a sticky pad. After hatching, the larvae are planktonic and often found in shallow coastal waters. Interestingly, the jewelled blenny lacks both fangs and venom glands, making it harmless to other marine creatures and humans.

The species was first described by Georges Cuvier as Salarias quadripennis, but it was later found to be synonymous with Bloch's Blennius fasciatus. The scientific name Salarias fasciatus comes from Latin, where "salar" refers to trout, although it is not related to trout fish. Also noted for a unique interaction, a special blenny named "Matey Boy" befriended a family in 🇹🇷 Turkey, highlighting the occasional human connection with this species.