Blennies: Blennioidei

Blennies have a variety of body types from short and stout and covered in scales to long and blunt-headed and entirely lacking scales. Most have short fringe on their heads, and some have large spines on their heads. The color ranges from drab, mottled brown and tan to brilliant red, yellow, and blue. Blennies are small, usually less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long.

Blennies live all over the world except in the Arctic.

Blennies live in almost every underwater habitat, and some even climb out of the water onto rocks. Most are bottom dwellers on coral and rocky reefs. A few blennies live in freshwater streams and rivers.

Most blennies eat small, bottom-dwelling invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without a backbone. Some eat algae (AL-jee), or plantlike growths that live in water and have no true roots, stems, or leaves.

Although they are eaten in some areas, blennies are used mainly as aquarium fish.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN) lists one species of blennies as Vulnerable, or facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.