The Eggs and Newly Hatched Young of the Common Blennies from the Plymouth Neighbourhood

Abstract

The three common blennies of Plymouth are the Shanny, Blennius pholis, the Gattorugine Blenny, Blennius gattorugine, and the Butterfly Blenny, Blennius ocellaris. These have their habitat from just below high-water mark downwards. Thus, B. pholis inhabits the rocky pools from near high-water mark to the regions left dry by the tides; B. gattorugine is also to be found between tide-marks, but not so high up as B. pholis, and is more frequent in those parts uncovered by the spring tides; whereas B. ocellaris inhabits the deeper water and is always covered by the tide; it is frequently to be found on the dredging grounds in the region of the Mewstone and beyond the Breakwater.