Etymology: Neoclinus: Greek,neos = new + Greek, klinein, kline = sloping and bed, due to the four apophyses of sphenoid bone (Ref. 45335); blanchardi: Neoclinus is formed from 2 Greek words meaning "new Clinus"; blanchardi honors S.B. Blanchard, who discovered the species in San Diego and passed it on to Girard, its describer (Ref. 43439).
Eastern Pacific: San Francisco in California, USA to central Baja California, Mexico.
Usually occurs on exposed coast, on sand or hard mud bottom below low tide, rarer in bays. Usually found inside objects, especially mollusk shells, clam burrows and bottles. Demersal spawners in nearshore habitats (Ref. 56049). Female deposits eggs in clam burrows or under rocks, male guards them.
Females lay eggs in abandoned boring clam holes, under rocks, in beer containers, and other containers. Males guard the eggs until they hatch (Ref. 43439).
Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 9.7 - 19, mean 14.5 (based on 20 cells).