Feather Blenny

Feather Blenny

Hypsoblennius hentzi

Size: to 5"

Habitat: bays, estuaries, protected coastal waters

Notes:

Blennies live on the bottom in oyster beds or mussel beds. If you find an old piece of pipe or a bottle in the river, look inside - you'll probably find a blenny.

Feather Blenny

Feather Blennies have branching "horns" over the eyes, called cirri.

Similar Striped Blenny has a more pointed profile with almost invisible cirri. I have not yet encountered the third and final species of blenny in our area - the Seaweed Blenny.

Feather Blenny
Feather Blenny
When I was cleaning his aquarium once, this little bugger swam up and bit my hand, and left a mark !!! They have very strong jaws.

Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

Size:
to 11 ft,
reportedly to 21ft

Habitat:
open ocean

Notes:
dangerous

A fast-swimming oceanic shark, these are colored vivid blue in life, but quickly fade to gray in death. The Blue shark is described as a persistent and dangerous stalker and is often found in great numbers. This is the shark most likely seen in caged shark dives off Rhode Island and is probably the commonest shark in our offshore waters during the summer months. Other identifying features of the Blue shark are the extremely long pectoral fins and relatively slim body ( compared to those below ) with very unequal upper and lower tail lobes.