Rufous-gorgeted pike blennies Bashny.Net

Completely devoid of scales, with the flattened and elongated torso, rufous-gorgeted pike blennies (lat. Chaenopsis alepidota) resemble acne, however are full-fledged members of the order Perciformes. They live exclusively in the tropical waters between North and South America, kept closer to the muddy or sandy bottom and burrow into him, hardly suspecting something was wrong.





Often, for safety reasons and for convenience, rufous-gorgeted pike blennies construct their own houses in abandoned shells at a depth of from 1 to 25 meters. Their narrow and flat torso perfectly fit in like parchment scrolls in tubes, which once served as a refuge for marine worms.





Settling in new home, pike blennies jealously guarding their territory against rivals.
Their pointed muzzle with protruding jaws with several sharp teeth, aggressive nature and energetic behavior really give these small fish similar to pike.





But unlike the voracious and cunning predators, rufous-gorgeted blennies, growing not more than 15 cm in length, they feed only on crustaceans, which are caught among the rocks or in the sand.





The male rufous-gorgeted pike dogs are known for their ability to make a real show during the mating season. Spreading like sails dorsal fins and curving long, lean torso with orange stripes on the neck, the gentlemen waving their tails and circling in front of the female and male rivals.





To enhance the effect, they are widely open my mouth and squirm, substituting silver-coffee skin piercing under the water the sun's rays.

Source: zoopicture.ru