Ophioblennius atlanticus is a combtooth blenny typical of the waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, where it can be found from the Ascension Islands, St. Helena and Angola, to the coasts of Senegal, Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands. It lives in shallow rocky bottoms (up to 10 meters deep) and with abundant presence of calcareous algae.
The body of Ophioblennius atlanticus has a usual length of about 7 cm, although the maximum size can reach 18 cm. The body is elongated, slightly compressed laterally, with a rounded head and obtuse cephalic profile. Its large eyes are placed high on the face, and above them we find a pair of simple supraocular tentacles. There are also well developed tentacles in the nostrils. The mouth, situated lower on the rostrum, has thick lips with serrated edges, often colored with a reddish tint. The body of Ophioblennius atlanticus typically has a brownish-reddish-blackish head, body and anal fin, and part of the pectoral and caudal fins are reddish. Like most combtooth blennies species, Ophioblennius atlanticus has a bare skin, so there is no scales in his skin, and instead secretes a mucus that protects them from the environment.
The diet of Ophioblennius atlanticus is based almost entirely on algae. It uses its serrated lips to gnaw the filamentous algae that cover rocky surfaces.
During the breeding season, male Ophioblennius atlanticus are particularly territorial, and will fiercely defend their territories against other males or other blennid species. They generally make upward head movements and fully deploy their dorsal fin. If the adversary does not cease in his attitude, a battle with their mouths can be initiated, and direct attacks with bites to the opponent. Females will lay multiple clutches with different males, and it is the latter who are in charge of taking care of the clutch. Each female can lay up to 7,000 eggs per clutch, which will remain attached to the substrate through a filamentous adhesive pad inside the burrow. During laying, the males generate a mucous substance with antimicrobial properties that will protect the clutch from fungi and bacteria by means of fleshy roughness on the spines of the anal fin. Males will protect their small caves, from which only part of their body will usually be visible. Several studies have shown that females tend to lay their eggs with large males that are already taking care of a clutch, as this guarantees better oxygenation and care of the eggs by the males.
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