PETROSCIRTES VARIABILIS - (CANTOR, 1849)
Picture courtesy of: Gloup Noumea
Blennie variable, Saber-toothed blenny, Sabertooth blenny, Variable blenny, Variable fangblenny, Variable sabre-tooth, Variable sabretooth blenny, Viper blenny, Inuginpo, イヌギンポ, 개베도라치, 變色縱帶美鳚,
Synonymes
Dasson variabilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petrocirtes variabilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petroscirtes eretes (Jordan & Seale, 1905)
Petroscirtes varibilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petroscirtes varibilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petroscirtes vulsus (Jordan & Seale, 1907)
Petroscrites variabilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petroscrites variabilis (Cantor, 1849)
Petroskirtes amboinensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Petroskirtes bankanensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Petroskirtes solorensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Salarias viperidens (De Vis, 1884)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10-11, (anterior spines not elongate); Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-19; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 16-19 (usually: 17); Pectoral fin rays: 13-15; Premaxillary teeth: 24-45; Dentary teeth: 24-48. Gill opening narrow, positioned entirely above pectoral fin; All caudal fin rays unbranched; Symphysial dentary cirrus simple and broad. Supratemporal pores: 3-5. Posterior nostril with short flap on front rim. A pair of enlarged canines without a venom groove anteriorly on lower jaw. Max. length: 15.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 30 m, usually: 1 - 10 m.
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10-11, (anterior spines not elongate); Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-19; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 16-19 (usually: 17); Pectoral fin rays: 13-15; Premaxillary teeth: 24-45; Dentary teeth: 24-48. Gill opening narrow, positioned entirely above pectoral fin; All caudal fin rays unbranched; Symphysial dentary cirrus simple and broad. Supratemporal pores: 3-5. Posterior nostril with short flap on front rim. A pair of enlarged canines without a venom groove anteriorly on lower jaw. Max. length: 15.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 30 m, usually: 1 - 10 m.
Color
Head and body mottled, brownish and speckled, with 5-6 broad dark bands on sides, and usually with tiny blue specks; Median fins with numerous small dark spots; Dorsal fin often with small black spot distally on first membrane; No dark spot near base of outer pelvic fin rays.
Etymology
Petroscirtes: from Ancient Greek, pétra = stone, rock + from Greek, skirteo = to jump. Referring to Rüppell’s claim that Petroscirte mitratus was seen jumping between rocks out of the water hunting for small amphipods; However, since Petroscirte mitratus is not amphibious, Rüppell may have confused it with Alticus saliens, observing both blennies at Jubal Island (Egypt, Red Sea) and thinking they were conspecific.
variabilis: from Latin, variābilis = variable, changeable. Referring to its variable coloration, e.g., “dorsal yellowish olive, dotted with black, rays with more or less distinct blackish spots forming two or three longitudinal series; in some individuals a black spot between the points of the first and second ray”.
Original description: Petroscirtes variabilis Cantor, 1849 - Type locality: Sea of Penang, Malaysia; Singapore.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Sri Lanka, east to Philippines and Papua New Guinea, north to Taiwan and southern Korea, south to Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Adults occur in seagrass beds of shallow lagoons. Also in Sargassum rafts during or immediately after wet season. They feed primarily on small crustaceans and occasionally on scales from fishes. Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive, and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous adhesive pad or pedestal. Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters.
Similar species
Petroscirtes breviceps (Valenciennes, 1836) - Reported from New Caledonia. Similar to Petroscirtes variabilis in shape but has lined pattern on the body rather than a blotched pattern.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Sri Lanka, east to Philippines and Papua New Guinea, north to Taiwan and southern Korea, south to Australia and New Caledonia.
Biology
Adults occur in seagrass beds of shallow lagoons. Also in Sargassum rafts during or immediately after wet season. They feed primarily on small crustaceans and occasionally on scales from fishes. Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive, and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous adhesive pad or pedestal. Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters.
Similar species
Petroscirtes breviceps (Valenciennes, 1836) - Reported from New Caledonia. Similar to Petroscirtes variabilis in shape but has lined pattern on the body rather than a blotched pattern.
Petroscirtes lupus (De Vis, 1885) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here). Differ in having 19 anal soft rays.
Petroscirtes thepassii (Bleeker, 1853) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Palau, Yap and Chuuk. Closely related to Petroscirtes variabilis, but is usually more elongate and has a bulbous or elongate snout.
Last update: 22, August 2024