Skin microbiome mirrors habitat divergence in amphibious combtooth blenny fish (Teleostei, Blenniidae).

Skin microbiomes of combtooth blenny fish show increasing divergence from substrate microbiomes along the intertidal gradient, with the most terrestrial species exhibiting the greatest difference.

• Why it matters: Understanding microbiome shifts during habitat transitions is crucial for revealing how species adapt to changing environments, especially from aquatic to terrestrial habitats.
• What they did: Using 16S rRNA sequencing, the study compared skin-associated bacterial communities of three blenny species occupying different intertidal zones, alongside seawater and substrate biofilms.
• The result: Findings indicate that skin microbiomes vary with habitat, with the supratidal species showing higher Gammaproteobacteria and unique taxa, suggesting microbiome variation may support amphibious adaptations.