WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Variable Fangblenny

Petroscirtes variabilis

Also known as: Fang Blenny, Sabretooth Blenny, Sabre-toothed Blenny, Sabre-toothed Petroscirtes, Variable Blenny, Variable Sabertooth, Variable Sabretooth Blenny, Viper Blenny

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2026
Adult
@designedforx · KE, Kenya · November 20151 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly, over seagrass beds, and under weed mats, in shallow lagoons.
They feed on small crustaceans and scales of small fish, grabbing with their sabre-like teeth in the lower jaw, which point forward in the mouth.

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

Behaviour
solitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, over seagrass beds, and under weed mats, in shallow lagoons.

04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderBlenniiformes
    5. familyBlenniidae
    6. genusPetroscirtes
    7. speciesPetroscirtes variabilis Cantor, 1849

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Combtooth Blennies (Blenniidae)