About Microlipophrys nigriceps (Vinciguerra, 1883)
The black-headed blenny, scientifically named Microlipophrys nigriceps (Vinciguerra, 1883), has a thin, elongated body that reaches a maximum total length of 4 cm (1.6 in). It has a rounded head with large eyes positioned high on its sides. It possesses a single dorsal fin supported by 12 spines and between 14 and 16 soft rays, with a notch separating the spiny portion of the fin from the soft-rayed portion. Its body background color is red-orange, with a black head and a greyish-blue reticulated pattern. The fin rays are red-orange, with translucent fin membranes on all fins except the caudal fin, which is entirely red-orange. The black-headed blenny is distributed in the Mediterranean Sea, excluding the extreme western end of the sea and most of the North African coastline. This species lives in caves and crevices in areas shaded from sunlight, and can also be found in coral-growing areas. It occurs at depths ranging from 0 to 6 m (0 to 20 ft).
