Hypleurochilus bananensis (Poll 1959)

Diagnosed by having the following characteristics: brown-yellowish body color with five irregular vertical dark bars extending to the lower part of the dorsal fin; remaining part of fin same as body color; head may have some bluish tinge; thick superior upper lip; mark V-like cavity between the eyes; wrinkled dorsal area between the head and the beginning of dorsal fin; caudal fin with a series of alternating light and dark vertical bars; cirri with several branches, grouped in a common base; most developed branch lies at the centre and surrounded by several thinner and shorter branches (Ref. 97253).

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

This species is never abundant, occurs in the intertidal area and very shallow waters. No specimens were observed below the 3 m depth. In the Tyrrhenian Sea, the maximum number observed was four (4). In this area, at each survey, specimens were observed in the narrow canal between the sea and the coastal lagoon of the Lake Miseno. The hard substrate of the canal is encrusted with several organisms: ascidians, bryozoans, algae and barnacles). Specimens were observed only in a dim light area of the canal with deep crevices. This canal was inhabited by a fish community consisting of Sparidae (Diplodus spp.), Mugilidae, Moronidae (Dicentrarchus labrax) and some species of combtooth blennies (Salaria pavo, Scartella cristata, Parablennius incognitus, Parablennius sanguinolentus). Most of H. bananensis were observed along the vertical wall of the canal, between crevices, 0-2 m depth. Females were sporadic and never observed more than 1 female specimen per survey day. These were observed between crevices and on the pebbly bottom of the canal, until a depth of 3 m. Unlike the males, females were often observed swimming and then disappearing among crevices after a few seconds of observations. Males were strictly territorial, especially when guarding the eggs (Ref. 97251).

Adults occur in shallow waters near harbors and on rocky shores of coastal waters (Ref. 5298, 5981). Oviparous. Males are extremely territorial especially when guarding eggs (Ref. 97521). Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).

Hypleurochilus bananensis is a species of combtooth blenny which is patchily distributed in the eastern central Atlantic ocean from Israel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This species grows to a length of 10.5 centimetres (4.1 in) SL.