Blennies - Siphonostomes - Tripterygium
Here is a page dedicated to three curious species of fish!
Blennies: Blennies are small, funny fish that hide in the rocks at the water's edge. They have a particular shape, more "rectangular" than other fish. Blennies are often "lying" on the rock but run away as soon as you approach. The most common are, I think, the palmicorn blennies (Parablennius sanguinolentus). The small tentacles above the eyes are visible in the first photo. The color changes: more or less yellow and more or less dark. I think I have also seen gattorugine blennies (Parablennius gattorugine). It is very difficult to be sure….
Mediterranean Siphonostomes (Syngnatus typhle): This is truly an incredible fish. It looks so much like a Posidonia grass that I must have spent years seeing it without realizing it. And then one day I observed this strange grass that seemed to swim slowly... and I noticed that it had eyes!! I only see this fish at the very edge of the beach, where the waves break and it is therefore very difficult to spot, film or photograph.
Tripterygions (Tripterygion tripteronotome): A fish with striking coloration for breeding males – bright red body with black head – that I rarely see and which is very small, 5-6 centimeters. This one was kind enough to stay on the rock long enough for me to photograph it. There are yellow ones but I have never seen them.
Film: Siphonostome filmed with camera out of water
The Siphonostoma is a very small fish and is seen at very shallow depths. It is therefore almost impossible to film underwater. Here we see what it looks like from the beach ... and why it is so difficult to spot because it looks so much like a piece of grass.
