Striped Poison-fang Blenny

Meiacanthus grammistes

Also known as: Black-banded Blenny, Creamy-striped Blenny, Fang Blenny, Grammistes Blenny, Linespot Fangblenny, Linespot Harptail, Linespot Harptail Blenny, Sabretooth Blenny, Sabre-toothed Blenny, Stripe Blenny, Striped Blenny, Striped Cateye Blenny, Striped Fangblenny

ALSO KNOWN AS

Black-banded Blenny
Creamy-striped Blenny
Fang Blenny
Grammistes Blenny
Linespot Fangblenny
Linespot Harptail
Linespot Harptail Blenny
Sabretooth Blenny
Sabre-toothed Blenny
Stripe Blenny
Striped Blenny
Striped Cateye Blenny
Striped Fangblenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2014

VenomousKeep your distance

Add a photo

Striped Poison-fang Blenny adult, photographed at Oyster Stacks, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia — @greatwhite · Oyster Stacks, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia · June 20131 / 8

Overview

Found singly or in small loose schools nesting in holes or bottles etc., over sheltered lagoons and seaward reefs. Geographical variations and is also mimicked by Petroscirtes breviceps!

Combtooth Blennies are the largest family of blennies, found in both tropical and subtropical waters and freshwater habitats, as the name suggests they have comb like teeth lining their jaws, well suited for scraping food off hard surfaces!
Sabretooth Blennies have teeth to match their name!
They can be seen darting forward to sever flesh from fishes fins. (can sometimes be seen taking a swipe at divers as well) They will then dart back into their holes out of harm's way.
Some blennies will mimic cleaner wrasses to get close enough for a nip at fish.
A few Sabretooth Blennies are venomous.