Japanese snake blenny (Xiphasia matsubarai)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Xiphasia matsubarai, the Japanese snake blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Pacific and Indian oceans just extending into the Atlantic Ocean in False Bay, South Africa. This species can be found at depths ranging from the surface to 4960 m. This species reaches 30 cm in SL. This species feeds primarily on bony fish, rising to the surface at night to feed. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
- Scientific name
- Xiphasia matsubarai
- Authority
- Okada & Suzuki, 1952
- Family
- Blenniidae
- Order
- Blenniiformes
- Maximum length
- 30 cm
- Depth range
- 0–4960 m
- Habitat zone
- benthopelagic
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 30
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Blenniiformes · Family: Blenniidae · Genus: Xiphasia.
Accepted name: Xiphasia matsubarai · Authority: Okada & Suzuki, 1952 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 219344.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=219344 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Xiphasia matsubarai. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 30 cm · Depth range: 0–4960 m · Habitat zone: benthopelagic · Body shape: eel-like · Vulnerability index: 26.6 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Adults inhabit deep waters but rises to the surface at night. Rare species (Ref. 559). They live in tubes in fine sand or mud and rise to the surface at night where they fall prey to pelagic fishes (Ref. 37816). 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 6078) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Xiphasia-matsubarai.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
30 georeferenced occurrence records for Xiphasia matsubarai are published through GBIF from 12 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 21 distinct locations from a sample of 30 records, omitting 1 inland record 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: South Africa (9); Australia (3); Mauritius (3); Mozambique (3); Indonesia (2); Madagascar (2); Northern Mariana Islands (2); Solomon Islands (2); Fiji (1); Micronesia (Federated States of) (1); Japan (1); French Southern Territories (1).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; South Africa (country).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2395301) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2395301&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=219344 (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 Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952 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 48342238) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/48342238/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2395301) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2395301/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Xiphasia matsubarai has an elongated body that resembles an eel, and has a dorsal fin that covers the whole length of the body. They have gray-brown stripes that cover the length of their bodies starting at the head. The head is small and it is rounded anteriorly. The eyes are slightly smaller and located near the lateral sides of the head. It does not have any scales. They have a single row of incisor teeth and large canines. The bottom canines are significantly longer than the canines in the upper jaw. The article identified distinct morphological characteristics and sequence analysis that helped identify X. matsubarai. Smith-Vanzi and Shen made important comparisons between the X. matsubarai and the X. setifer, which included fin length and color. This supported the initial discovery of the snake blenny.
The specific name honours the Japanese ichthyologist Kiyomatsu Matsubara (1907-1968) of Kyoto University who was a colleague of the two authors and who named this species in his honour in gratitude for the kindness he had shown them.
Source: Wikipedia: Xiphasia matsubarai — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiphasia_matsubarai (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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