Labrisomidae

phallic blenny

Starksia spinipenis

First anal spine modified as intromittent organ

• Tropical
• Regional distribution
• Marine fish
• Pacific Ocean
• North America
• Fusiform
• Small
• Tropical fish

Starksia spinipenis, the phallic blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the Pacific coast of Mexico from the Gulf of California to Acapulco. It prefers shallow sandy areas with weed growth. This species can reach a length of 5 centimetres (2.0 in) TL. The specific name is a compound noun if spinis meaning "spine" and penis, a reference to the first spine in the anal fin of the males which is elongated and free of the fin membrane and is modified as a copulatory organ, a characteristic of the genus Starksia.