Depth
Parablennius · Bony Fish

Tompot Blenny

Parablennius gattorugine

0-20m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-20m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Rocky Reef
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
High
Sighting Likelihood
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Genus Parablennius
Species gattorugine

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationLarge, robust blenny with a big head and elaborate, bushy, branched orbital tentacles. Reddish-brown to olive body with 7 to 9 prominent dark vertical bars. Full, fleshy lips.
  • SizeUp to 30 cm total length, commonly 12 to 20 cm.
  • Social HabitSolitary and strongly territorial. Males fiercely guard nest holes during breeding. One of the bolder blenny species.
  • HabitatRocky reefs, wrecks, and boulder fields. Often found in holes in underwater structures.
  • Depth3 to 40 m, most common between 5 and 20 m.
  • Feeds OnCrustaceans, worms, molluscs, sea anemones, and other invertebrates.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from the British Isles to Morocco, including the Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionThe largest and most charismatic blenny in the Mediterranean. Tompot blennies are bold, inquisitive fish that peer from their holes with an almost comical expression. Their elaborate branching tentacles and distinctive barred body make them unmistakable. Males become fiercely aggressive when guarding eggs, charging at fingers and even camera lenses.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found across the Mediterranean, inhabiting rocky reef environments. Active from the surface down to 20m depth.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Rocky Reef habitats, typically at depths of 0-20m. Most commonly encountered by divers at the shallower end of its range.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Tompot Blenny species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

Feeds on a wide range of benthic invertebrates including anemones, crustaceans, worms and small molluscs.

Benthic forager

Reproduction

Males prepare and defend nest holes, attracting females with courtship displays. Eggs are attached to the rock inside and guarded until hatching.

Egg guarder

Behaviour & Defence

Robust body wedges tightly into rock crevices. Will bite if handled, delivering a surprisingly firm nip.

Crevice dweller

Dive with diveshack

Where to Encounter in Malta

The following dive sites offer strong habitat match for Parablennius gattorugine. All are accessible on a guided dive with diveshack.

5-30m
North Malta

Cirkewwa

Rocky reef with caves, arches and ledges hosting a rich diversity of reef species.

View dive site ›
5-50m
Gozo

Blue Hole

One of the Med's most famous reef dive sites. Rocky walls and archways covered in life.

View dive site ›
18-36m
South Malta

Um El Faroud

The wreck lies on a sandy bottom surrounded by rocky reef -- a diverse habitat attracting reef species.

View dive site ›
IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes to prey availability.

Source: iNaturalist Guide #888
by Lesley Clements (CC BY-SA)
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide