Short communication: Study on Blennies fishes (Blenniidae Rafinesque ۱۸۱۰) from Makoran coastal waters (Southeast of Iran)

     The family blenniidae comprises ۵۸ genera and ۴۰۶ species according to Eschmeyer and Fong (۲۰۱۸). Members of the family Blenniidae are small, scale-less and very agile fishes, inhabiting inshore, sub-tidal rocky substrata, and rock pools of the inter-tidal zone of tropical and sub-tropical marine waters (Randall, ۱۹۹۵). A few species are also reported from brackish and freshwaters (Hastings and Springer, ۲۰۰۹). Many authors including: Wright et al., (۱۹۹۰); Abou-Seedo, (۱۹۹۲); Springer and Williams, (۱۹۹۴); Randall et al., (۱۹۹۴); Randall, (۱۹۹۵); Regan, (۱۹۰۵); Smith, (۱۹۵۹); Springer, (۱۹۷۱) and Murdy, (۱۹۸۹ have studied the intertidal fishes fauna of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Studies on Blenniidae family by Iranian authors have a little incresed in recent years. Ghanbarifardi and Malek, (۲۰۰۷) Mehraban and Esmaeili (۲۰۱۸), published a report on the permanent intertidal fishes of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Attaran Fariman etal(۲۰۱۶a, b) study on phylogeny of the some blenniidae species from intertidal and subtidal of Oman sea have been studied by Attaran Fariman et al. (۲۰۱۶a, b).   Phylogeny of ۷ blennidae species have been studied by Estekani (۲۰۱۴). The natural habitat, life history and unique characteristics of this family are quite compatible with different habitats and substratum existing along the Makoran coast, hence, it could be expected that quite a diverse number of blenniid species inhabit different niches of this area. Therefore this study was conducted to identify the species of Blenniidae family from intertidal and subtidal of North part of Oman Sea (Makoran coast).  

Keywords:

Chabahar , Intertidal , Subtidal , Blenniidae