Townsend’s Fangblenny

Plagiotremus townsendi, commonly known as Townsend's fangblenny, is a small marine fish species found in the coral reefs of the western 🌊 Indian Ocean, including the 🌊 Red Sea and the 🌊 Gulf of Oman. Reaching a total length of about 6 centimeters (2.4 inches), these tropical fish are known for their distinctive behavior and unique dietary habits.

Townsend's fangblenny primarily feeds on the mucus secreted by other fish, a trait detailed in studies by Springer and Smith-Vaniz in 1972. These reef-associated fish are usually found at depths ranging from 7 to 55 meters (approximately 23 to 180 feet).

In terms of reproduction, Townsend's fangblenny is oviparous, meaning the species lays eggs. The eggs are demersal, meaning they are laid close to the sea floor, and are adhesive, sticking to the substrate with a filamentous pad or pedestal. The larvae of this species are planktonic, often drifting in the shallow, coastal waters before settling down to mature. An interesting aspect of their behavior includes mimicking the appearance of another species, Meiacanthus nigrolineatus.

The genus name Plagiotremus is derived from the Greek words "plagios," meaning oblique, and "trema," meaning hole, hinting at the fish's perhaps unusual ecological niche and appearance.