Common Blenny

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Latin name – Lipophrys pholis 
Size – Up to 16cm long 
Habitat – Rockpools

These fish are very well adapted for the seashore environment. Instead of having scales, blennies are coated in slime to keep them damp. They can also change the colour of their skin to blend in with the rocks and seaweed around them. Their sharp teeth are used for crunching barnacles off rocks and they also eat other small animals and seaweed too.

Common Blenny

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The Common Blenny is also known as a ‘Shanny’ and is common around the UK coastline. It can survive out of water if hidden under damp rocks and seaweed, whilst it waits for the tide to come back in. Photo by Gilles San Martin.