The breathtaking deep blue ocean of the Maldives is home to majestic giants and captivating fish species, as well as a variety of vibrant tiny fish. Abdulla Sivad, a talented diver from my island Fuvahmulah, captured my attention with his underwater photographs. This is a series of articles I’ve chosen to publish under the title “Diver’s Lens.”
Using photos and videos taken by photographers or divers, these articles aim to provide scientific and species-related information about the Maldives.
The photographer or diver has granted permission for the publication of the photos and videos in these articles. Furthermore, we publish additional informative and scientific descriptions with the photographer’s or diver’s permission. In this article, I’ve chosen photos and videos of blennies from Sivad’s underwater treasure trove.
Blennies are a large family consisting of several distinct groups, with over 50 genera and approximately 350 species worldwide. Some swim freely, while others stay on the bottom.
Black-toothed Blennies (Blennidae-1)
These are a group of thin, usually brightly marked species that swim above the water to find food. They hide in holes in the reef to avoid danger, nest, or sleep. Sabre-tooth blennies have long, sharp teeth in their lower jaws that stick out when their mouth is wide open. Some of these teeth are poisonous.
Predators that eat small fish avoid fish resembling poisonous species, and some harmless fish, including certain blennies, exhibit the same behaviour. They eat different kinds of zooplankton, and some species are experts at eating fish parts.
Reef Blennies (Blennidae-2)
This is the biggest group. These blennies live near the shore in shallow water. Some species live in the intertidal zone, which means that they have short periods of dryness when the waves cause the water level to drop.
Due to their territorial nature, most reef or rock blennies have their own little path as they scrape algae off dead coral surfaces in search of food. Usually, they are spread out in groups. Males may let some females get close, but the females often fight with each other.
Many species complexes represent geographical forms, particularly in the combtooth blennies. It can be challenging to tell one species from another in a group. Rock blennies: males and females may have different colour patterns, and males of some species get a crest on their head.
Two-color Combtooth Blenny
Found on clear-water reef crests and slopes, as well as in outer reef lagoons with coral bommies at depths of up to 20m. There are two colour variations: half orange and half black, or a black top and white belly. The different colour forms do not appear to be sex-related. The length of this fish is about 85 mm.
Little Combtooth Blenny
In clear reef slopes on the inside and outside, little comb blennies live on corals or near the bases up to a depth of 10 metres. The series of pale spots on the body makes it easy to spot. One that is only found in the Maldives. Part of a species complex that is found all over the Indo-Pacific. It’s about 65 mm long.
