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Marine Life

Bluestriped fangblenny

Fansooru mas
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos

Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos, which was previously recorded under the genus Runula, mimics the cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus, in its blue black-stripe phase and approximates the colour of common, harmless scalefin anthias, Pseudanthias squamipinnis, in its yellow phase in order to get close enough to attack other fishes.

Details

§ 01
size
Max. 11 cm
color
Variable. Dark brown, yellowish brown, or yellow with two narrow bright blue stripes. Juveniles have a single upper blue stripe. Median fins yellowish in both forms.
order
Perciformes
family
Blenniidae
image url
https://assets.explore.mv/fishes/plagiotremus-rhinorhynchos.png
habitat and biology
This species inhabits the edges and slopes of reefs, and feeds by making quick strikes on other fish, taking away their skin tissue, mucus, and occasionally scales.
distinctive characters
The dorsal fin has 10-12 spines and 32-36 rays, the anal fin has 2 spines and 29-33 rays, the pectoral rays are 11-13, and the segmented caudal rays are 11. The body depth is 6.6-8.0 in standard length, the snout is conical, the mouth is ventral, and the lower jaw has a pair of long curved canines. The dorsal fin originates above the hind margin of the preopercle, and the pelvic fin is small and usually longer than the eye diameter. The caudal fin is emarginate.
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