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Crested sabre-tooth (Petroscirtes mitratus) — Blenniidae

Crested sabre-tooth

Petroscirtes mitratus
Family: Blenniidae
LC · Least Concern

The Crested sabre-tooth (Petroscirtes mitratus) is a saltwater fish of the family Blenniidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
8.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–8.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The floral blenny is a small blenny from the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Phoenix, Samoan and Tongan islands. The species grows to about 8.5 cm and has an elongate, speckled body with five to six dark blotches and a conspicuous crest on the head; the front dorsal rays are raised. It lives in shallow, sheltered lagoons with algae and seagrass, often solitary, and lays its eggs in empty shells. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Crested sabre-tooth?

The Crested sabre-tooth has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Crested sabre-tooth live?

The Crested sabre-tooth lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Crested sabre-tooth get?

The Crested sabre-tooth grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Crested sabre-tooth dangerous to humans?

No, the Crested sabre-tooth is harmless to humans.

Is the Crested sabre-tooth edible?

The Crested sabre-tooth is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Kuif-sabeltandslijmvis verified
English name
Crested sabre-tooth verified
Scientific name
Petroscirtes mitratus
Family
Blenniidae
Other names
Crested sabretooth blenny; Floral blenny verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
8.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
Yes inferred
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Petroscirtes

More from the family Blenniidae

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