UKDIVING
‘ Buster ’ the tompot blenny guarding a good raft of eggs
1 . Tompot blenny – Parablennius gattorugine
With their endlessly entertaining antics , who else could take my number one spot ? Over recent weeks , I have yet again been entranced by how the tompots wherever I dive seem to spend their autumn vying with each other for status in the local pecking order ! Freed from the spring and summer responsibilities of laying and guarding eggs , I often see them go out of their way to approach one another and display what look like dominant or submissive postures . Tompots are incredibly photogenic of course , but it ’ s that complexity of behaviour , their long-term retention of territories and especially the way their skin markings make individuals recognisable that give them my top billing . So it ’ s a big thank you to Benny , Bradley , Brett , Bertha , Barbara , Bathsheba and all the rest of my tompot gang ! �
A battle-scarred ‘ Benny ’ the tompot blenny on guard outside his crevice home
17