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Redlip Blenny

Ophioblennius macclurei

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Original side-profile illustration of Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius macclurei); a dark brown body carries a conspicuous red lower lip, red on the lower pectoral fin, and red borders on the dorsal and anal fins.
Original identification illustration of Redlip Blenny. Features may vary.

Fun facts for your next surface interval

  • Its red accents appear on the lower lip and several fin edges, not just on the face.
  • Despite the canine teeth at the back of its lower jaw, its recorded menu is algae and detritus.
  • Eggs stay attached to the bottom, but the larvae live in the plankton.

Florida and local context

Florida: The checked FishBase field-guide account explicitly includes Florida in the range.

Documented regional presence is not a guarantee of an encounter or a measure of how common this animal is at your dive site.

How to recognize this animal

A dark brown body carries a conspicuous red lower lip, red on the lower pectoral fin, and red borders on the dorsal and anal fins. The blunt head has a steep front, slender eye cirri and smaller nape cirri. Its long dorsal fin lacks the strong central notch seen in some other blennies. The tail is rounded.

Size and life stages

The Smithsonian account gives a maximum length of about 12.5 cm (4.9 inches). Its reported depth envelope is 0–70 m. These are species-level limits, not the expected size and depth of every encounter. Use markings and proportions as well as apparent length; a photograph without a reliable scale cannot establish an exact measurement.

Habitat and where to look

Red­lip blennies occur on coral and rocky reefs; the supplementary species account describes adults in shallow, clear water. Look at exposed hard surfaces and nearby crevices rather than assuming every blenny lives in sand. Its dark body can blend into a shaded reef face, while a side photograph may reveal the red lip and fin edges.

Range and local context

The documented regional range is North Carolina through Florida and the Caribbean. The checked FishBase field-guide account explicitly includes Florida in the range. The unverified Lake Worth Lagoon row is not treated as proof of a Palm Beach sighting. These records establish geographic occurrence, not abundance or a guaranteed encounter at a particular dive site.

What is on the menu?

Benthic microalgae and detritus are the recorded foods. This surface-feeding combination differs from the small-animal diet of a saddled blenny. Numerous movable jaw teeth provide the feeding edge, and larger curved canines occur farther back in the lower jaw. The presence of canine teeth does not turn this species into a large-fish predator.

Daily habits and behavior

The supplementary biological account describes territorial adults. A fish returning to a familiar reef patch may therefore be using a defended feeding area rather than simply resting. Watch repeated surface bites and retreats without encouraging them by feeding. The red areas may look muted at depth, where ambient light loses warm wavelengths.

Mating and the next generation

The eggs are deposited on the bottom and are adhesive, with attachment structures that hold them to the substrate. Larvae are planktonic and can occur in shallow coastal water. This is a different life stage from the territorial reef adult. The checked sources do not justify assigning a precise Palm Beach breeding season or a universal incubation duration.

Look-alikes and identification traps

Other brown blennies can have reddish heads, but the lower lip, lower pectoral and red dorsal/anal borders together are useful. Current western Atlantic usage is Ophioblennius macclurei; older references may use a broader O. atlanticus concept. The Brazilian sister species O. trinitatis is not treated here as another color form or an additional Florida record.

Observe without disturbing

Keep hands away from the animal and do not offer food or touch a defended patch. A brief side photograph can show the lip and lower pectoral without forcing it from its territory. Preserve a record of the original color under the dive’s lighting; do not assume a dark-looking lip excludes the species.

Harvest, protection and eating safety

Restricted marine life: live collection only; no spearing

Can it be hunted or harvested?

Redlip Blenny (Ophioblennius macclurei) is regulated tropical ornamental marine life, not an unrestricted food-fishing species. FWC lists blennies in family Blenniidae. Where collection is lawful, a saltwater fishing license is required unless exempt. Land and keep the fish alive with circulating, aerated or oxygenated life support. No species-specific recreational size limit is listed. Daily limit: five of this species within 20 marine-life organisms total per person. Two-day possession maximum: ten of this species within 40 organisms total. Recreational sale is prohibited.

Florida seasons and areas

No annual recreational closed months are listed for this marine-life species. Collection is prohibited within the designated Blue Heron Bridge dive-site boundary and throughout Biscayne National Park. Collection of these gobies and blennies is also prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Florida marine-life rules also apply in adjacent federal waters on both coasts. Check the exact park, refuge or sanctuary zone before collecting. The designated one-square-mile Western Dry Rocks area is closed to all fishing April 1–July 31 annually.

Can it be speared?

No. Spears are not authorized recreational gear for this regulated marine-life fish. Only lawful live-collection methods may be used, such as permitted hand-held, barrier or drop nets or a slurp gun. The live-landing requirement still applies.

Is it safe to eat?

Not recommended as a food target. This fish is regulated for live collection, and this guide does not certify it as safe to eat. Check Florida DOH guidance before consuming locally caught fish. Cooking does not remove all marine toxins. Small size, an absence of a specific advisory, and lawful collection do not establish food safety.

Before you act: This recreational overview is not permission to collect or spear at your dive site. Confirm the species, date, management area, state or federal waters, gear, licenses and current local closures. Identification artwork cannot establish an identification or guarantee seafood safety.

Official rules and health guidance

Reviewed 2026-11-10. Rules and advisories can change; check the linked authorities before harvesting or eating.

Sources and review

Reviewed 2026-11-10.

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