The Panamic Fanged Blenny, Ophioblennius steindachneri Jordan & Evermann, 1898, New to California Marine Waters with a Key to the California Species of Blenniidae

Abstract

We report here on the first observations of the Panamic fanged blenny, Ophioblennius steindachneri Jordan & Evermann, 1898, in California marine waters. In addition, we provide information on the other blenniid species found off California and include a key to all of the California taxa. On 3 June 2017, William Bushing was diving in the Casino Point Dive Park, Santa Catalina Island (about 33°20.98′N, 118°19.57′W) when he observed a chocolate-brown blenny in a high surge zone at a depth of about 3 m resting on a small ledge in a rocky outcropping (Fig. 1). Based on his experiences filming this species in the Gulf of California, Bushing was confident the individual was O. steindachneri but sent images to Milton Love for confirmation. Based on the following characters we determined that this fish was O. steindachneri: 1) In the eastern Pacific, the short and blunt head with the slanted profile is characteristic of only two species, both members of the genus Ophioblennius: O. steindachneri and O. clippertonenesis Springer, 1962 (Springer 1962, Robertson and Allen 2015). Ophioblennius clippertonensis is a Clipperton Island endemic and 2) lacks a diagnostic character found in the Santa Catalina specimen, a dark ocellus posterior to the eye. 3) In addition, this individual had blue edging on its pectoral and anal fins, coloration found on many O. steindachneri (Humann and DeLoach 2004, Robertson and Allen 2015, Froese and Pauly 2017). Bushing continued to observe this individual in the same location for about one month after its first sighting. On 18 June 2017, Bushing observed a second Panamic fanged blenny about 30 m from the first one (Fig. 2) also in about 3 m of water in a similar habitat similar. Along with a dark ocellus and the blue on the pectoral fin, this individual had faint banding on the sides a pattern often seen in this species (Humann and DeLoach 2004, Robertson and Allen 2015, Froese and Pauly 2017). We note that these were not the first documented sightings of this species in California waters. To our knowledge, the first sighting was by Rob Anslow on 23 July 2015 at Sea Fan Grotto (about 33°26.6′N, 118°28.4′W), Santa Catalina Island. He observed this fish swimming among boulders in about 3 m of water. This fish (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPu8OHDdloY), identified from the video on 24 June 2016 by William Bushing, resembled the first individual Bushing encountered; brown and unmarked except for a dark ocellus behind the eye, with extensive blue edging on the pectoral and anal fins. Lastly, Ruth Harris observed a fish in June 2017, in the same general