WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Tongan Fangblenny

Meiacanthus tongaensis

Also known as: Coral Blenny, Green Canary Blenny, Fang Blenny, Sabretooth Blenny, Sabre-toothed Blenny, Tongan Blenny, Tongan Canary Blenny, Tongan Green Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2014
Adult
@fishx6 · Sopu Beach, Tonga · October 20111 / 5
01

Overview

Found over shallow waters of coral and rocky reefs, often seen in the water column feeding.
Pacific Ocean - Tonga

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.

02

How to identify

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Pacific Ocean
  • Country only · 5
LIVES IN

Found over shallow waters of coral and rocky reefs, often seen in the water column feeding.

04

Adult photos 5

05

Discussion

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

No comments yet. Seen one, or got a question about it? Start the discussion.

    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderBlenniiformes
    5. familyBlenniidae
    6. genusMeiacanthus
    7. speciesMeiacanthus tongaensis Smith-Vaniz, 1987

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)