Paraclinus fasciatus, the banded blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea from southern Florida to Venezuela. The banded blenny is a marine organism, meaning it lives in an aquatic environment. This species lives in the vicinity of coral reefs preferring sea grass beds in shallow waters down to 2m (07feet). Although they are typically located in shallow waters, their colors camouflage them exceptionally well, leading to them rarely being seen or recognized.[1] They have also been found within floating algae.
They are part of the family perciform teleost fishes within the sub order Blenniodei. The suborder blenniodei currently comprises 6 families, 151 genera, and 883 species.[2] The perciform fish lineage is distinguished by its small body size, as well as their coastal and benthic habitats. The banded blenny has a typical lifespan of one year.
Paraclinus fasciatus is a species within the class Osteichthyes, or bony fishes. This class represents the largest class of vertebrates, with more than 31,000 species. One of the distinguishing characteristics of this class is that the organisms have a skeleton at least partially made of bone. Another characteristic being, this class typically has cycloid or ctenoid scales in comparison to pointed placoid scales. These scales are distinguished by their bony makeup and the protective layer of mucous covering them.[3] The operculum is another defining characteristic of this class, it is a gill cover which, as its name implies, protects the gills with a flap. Bony fishes typically have fin rays rather than a fleshy makeup that you see in cartilaginous fishes. Often, you will also see a swim bladder within bony fishes which acts as a floatation tool, allowing the fish to adjust its depth in the water.
Banded blennies are small and slender. Their standard length is 15 mm.[4] The color of their body ranges from different shades of brown and has thick black bar-like stripes. They have three well defined dorsal-fin spines.[5]