Plagiotremus goslinei

Lore & Background

The biting blenny reaches a length of 6.3 cm (2.5 in) SL and is also called the striped blenny for the bright blue stripes running down its body. It has two large canines on its bottom jaw. These sharp fangs can, when the fish is eaten by a larger fish, hold on to the esophagus to prevent itself from being swallowed. The fangs can also be poisonous, delivering an opioid poison to the receiver.

The species epithet honors the American ichthyologist William A. Gosline (1915-2002) of the University of Hawaiʻi. The biting blenny is found in coral reefs in Hawaii and in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. Its diet is diverse, consisting of mucus, scales, and skin tissue of larger fish, shrimp, small crustaceans, worms, zooplankton, and fish eggs. It sneaks up behind larger fish and takes bites out of their backs and sides.

Reader's Guide

The biting blenny's significance lies in its unique feeding strategy and defensive adaptations. It is a scale-eating and mucus-feeding species that approaches larger fish from behind to take bites of their backs and sides. Its two large canines are not only used for feeding but also serve as a defense mechanism: if swallowed by a larger fish, the fangs can anchor into the esophagus, preventing the blenny from being consumed. Additionally, these fangs deliver an opioid poison, adding a chemical deterrent. The species is named after William A. Gosline, an American ichthyologist at the University of Hawaiʻi. Its population is currently stable and abundant around the warm waters of the Hawaiian Islands, and it is considered a least concerned population. The biting blenny's combination of stealthy predation, physical anchoring, and venomous bite makes it a notable example of adaptation among reef fishes.

Did You Know?

• The biting blenny has two large canines on its bottom jaw that can deliver an opioid poison.
• If eaten by a larger fish, its fangs can hold on to the esophagus to prevent being swallowed.