Biting blenny (Plagiotremus goslinei)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Plagiotremus goslinei, commonly known as the biting blenny, Gosline's fangblenny, the scale-eating blenny, the Ewa fang blenny, the blue-stripe blenny, or the scale-eating fang blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny. The species epithet honours the American ichthyologist William A. Gosline (1915-2002) of the University of Hawaiʻi.
- Scientific name
- Plagiotremus goslinei
- Authority
- (Strasburg, 1956)
- Family
- Blenniidae
- Order
- Blenniiformes
- Maximum length
- 6.349999904632568 cm
- Depth range
- 1–15 m
- Habitat zone
- reef-associated
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 1,492
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Blenniiformes · Family: Blenniidae · Genus: Plagiotremus.
Accepted name: Plagiotremus goslinei · Authority: (Strasburg, 1956) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 278236.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Runula goslinei Strasburg, 1956.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278236 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Plagiotremus goslinei. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 6.349999904632568 cm · Depth range: 1–15 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: elongated · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.
FishBase notes: Adults are benthic or benthopelagic in or over coral (Ref. 58302). Common from the shallow waters to about 15 m. Taken with rotenone at 3-5 feet along rocky seashores where there was some sand bottom and where water circulation was good. Some specimens were collected from the stomachs of large fish (e.g. yellowfin tuna, Neothunnus macropterus ) and from dolphins ( Coryphaena hippurus ) (Ref. 643). Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 7834) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Plagiotremus-goslinei.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
1,492 georeferenced occurrence records for Plagiotremus goslinei are published through GBIF from 3 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 30 distinct locations from a sample of 1,492 records, omitting 10 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: United States of America (1,440); United States Minor Outlying Islands (51); Vanuatu (1).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2395999) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2395999&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278236 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Plagiotremus goslinei (Strasburg, 1956) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 48342392) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/48342392/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2395999) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2395999/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
This species reaches a length of 6.3 cm SL. The biting blenny is also known as the striped blenny for the bright blue stripes that run down its body. The biting blenny has two large canines on its bottom jaw. This fish's sharp fangs can, when it is eaten by larger fish, hold on to the esophagus to prevent itself from being swallowed. These fangs can also be poisonous, giving the receiver an opioid poison.
The biting blenny is found in coral reefs in Hawaii and in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.
The diet of the biting blenny is diverse. It consists of mucus, scales, and skin tissue of larger fish, shrimp, small crustaceans, worms, zooplankton, and fish eggs. The biting blenny sneaks up behind larger fish and takes bites out of their backs and sides.
The biting blenny is currently stable and abundant around the warm waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. It is considered a least concerned population.
Source: Wikipedia: Plagiotremus goslinei — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiotremus_goslinei (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Related in Biting blenny
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Biting blenny
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced