Bath's Blenny

Ecsenius bathi

Bath's Blenny is a small reef-associated fish found in the coral reefs of the western central Pacific, particularly around Indonesia and Malaysia. The species is named in honor of Hans Bath, a German ichthyologist known for his work on blennies. Males and females of this species can be distinguished by their coloration: males display red stripes, while females have black stripes and a yellowish head. Bath's Blenny has an elongated body shape, reaching a maximum length of 4.4 cm. This blenny is typically found at depths ranging from 3 to 25 meters. It prefers habitats around sponges and tunicates on coral outcrops and reef crests with large rounded corals or encrusted sponges, often at depths up to about 10 meters. Bath's Blenny is generally solitary or seen in small groups, and females are more commonly observed than males. Reproduction in Bath's Blenny is oviparous, with distinct pairing during spawning. The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad. The larvae are planktonic and are often found in shallow coastal waters. Bath's Blenny is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.