Marine life  /  Blennies  /  Largemouth blenny
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Species entry

Largemouth blenny

Labrisomus xanti

A stout blenny with a large mouth and a dark spot behind the eye, resting on rock and rubble.

Size
To 20 cm
Depth
1–20 m
Habitat
Rock and rubble
Active
Daylight
Range
Eastern Pacific
Rarity
Islas Revillagigedo
3 stars of 5, a good week should turn one up
SP-01
largemouth blenny · full body · habitat
4:3 · min 2400px

To about 20 cm. A robust body with a broad head, a blunt snout and a large mouth. There are eight darker bars along the side and numerous small white spots on the lower head and body. Breeding males are dramatic: an orange-red head, body and fins, with blue spots on the head and a blue iris.

At Revillagigedo the fish to check first is the Socorro blenny, which is a Revillagigedo species in the same genus; several other relatives share the wider range. Bar count and the pattern of white spotting are what separate them.

It lives on weed-covered rocky shores in shallow water, between 1 and about 10 m, and eats bottom-living worms, shrimps, crabs and small fish. It is the most common member of its genus at most localities in the Gulf of California.

Where to find:

LocationRarity Best monthsDepthHabitat
Islas Revillagigedo Mexico editorial estimate
3 stars of 5, a good week should turn one up
Year-round
1–20 m
Rock and rubble

Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.

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