Family Blenniidae
The Blennies are a family of fish represented by 42 different species occurring along the South African coastline.
They’re mostly found in rocky areas in the intertidal zone and can live remarkably long outside of the water, being capable of storing oxygen-rich water in their gill chambers and absorbing oxygen straight from the air through their slimy, scaleless skin – handy adaptations for when the retreating tide catches them in a dwindling pool, requiring them to walk and even skip on their strong limb-like fins back to safety over dry mud and rocks.
Blennies feed mainly on algae and micro-organisms. They breed throughout the year and females may lay up to 800 eggs in empty shells, with the territorial male then guarding the eggs until they hatch after a few months. The largest species grows to about 20cm in length but most kinds of Blenny are considerably smaller.
DeWetsWild 