Plagiotremus goslinei, commonly known as the biting blenny, Gosline's fangblenny, the scale-eating blenny, the Ewa fang blenny,[2][3] the blue-stripe blenny,[3] or the scale-eating fang blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny. The species epithet honours the American ichthyologist William A. Gosline (1915-2002) of the University of Hawaiʻi.[4]
| Plagiotremus goslinei | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Blenniidae |
| Genus: | Plagiotremus |
| Species: | P. goslinei
|
| Binomial name | |
| Plagiotremus goslinei (Strasburg, 1956)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Runula goslinei Strasburg, 1956 | |
Description
editThis species reaches a length of 6.3 cm (2.5 in) SL.[5] The biting blenny is also known as the striped blenny for the bright blue stripes that run down its body. The biting blenny has two large canines on its bottom jaw.[6] This fish's sharp fangs can, when it is eaten by larger fish, hold on to the esophagus to prevent itself from being swallowed.[7] These fangs can also be poisonous, giving the receiver an opioid poison.[6]
Habitat and distribution
editThe biting blenny is found in coral reefs in Hawaii and in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.[8]
Diet
editThe diet of the biting blenny is diverse. It consists of mucus, scales, and skin tissue of larger fish,[3] shrimp, small crustaceans, worms, zooplankton, and fish eggs.[9] The biting blenny sneaks up behind larger fish and takes bites out of their backs and sides.[2]
Population
editThe biting blenny is currently stable and abundant around the warm waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. It is considered a least concerned population.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b Williams, J.T. (2014). "Plagiotremus goslinei". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T48342392A48405050. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T48342392A48405050.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b "onebreathkohala". wordpress. 18 September 2016.
- ^ a b c Perrine, Doug. "Doug Perrine Photography".
- ^ Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (26 October 2018). "Order BLENNIIFORMES: Family BLENNIIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Plagiotremus goslinei". FishBase. February 2013 version.
- ^ a b Wingerter, Kenneth (2 May 2012). "Aquarium Fish: An Overview of Fang Blennies of the genus Meiacanthus". reefs.com.
- ^ Guardians, Reef (1 Mar 2021). "Reef Guardians Hawaii". Facebook.
- ^ Randall, John. "Plagiotremus goslinei". Smithsonian Learning Lab.
- ^ "Plagiotremus goslinei".
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