Blue Sandtilefish

The Blue Sandtilefish (Malacanthus latovittatus), commonly referred to as the banded blanquillo, striped blanquillo, false whiting, sand tilefish, or eye of the sea, represents a species within the family Malacanthidae. This marine ray-finned fish is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region.

The blue blanquillo is characterized by an elongated body and a pointed snout, with a mouth that extends to the anterior nostril. The margin of the preoperculum is smooth, while the gill cover features a sharp spine approximately equal in size to the diameter of the pupil. The head and the anterior region of the body exhibit a blue coloration, which gradually fades towards the posterior. A prominent black lateral stripe is present, originating from the base of the pectoral fin in adults and from the snout in juveniles. Adults display intricate lattice patterns on the upper back, accompanied by a white marking on the rear edge of the caudal fin. The dorsal fin has a pale line along its upper margin, and the anal and pelvic fins appear white, whereas the pectoral fins have a bluish hue. The juvenile stage bears resemblance to the juvenile ringed slender wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus). The dorsal fin comprises 3-4 spines and 43-47 soft rays, whereas the anal fin contains a single spine and 37-40 soft rays. The species can achieve a maximum total length of 45 cm (18 in), although a standard length of 35 cm (14 in) is more commonly observed.

This species inhabits a broad range across the Indo-Pacific, found in the 🌊 Red Sea and along the eastern coast of Africa, through the 🌊 Indian Ocean, reaching into the 🌊 Pacific Ocean as far as the Hawaiian Islands, Tabuaeran, and 🇼🇸 Samoa. Its distribution extends north to 🇯🇵 Japan and south to 🇦🇺 Australia, where it ranges from Dirk Hartog Island in Western Australia to Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland down to Seal Rocks. It is also documented at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island.

Malacanthus latovittatus is typically found at depths ranging from 4 to 65 meters (13 to 213 feet) on the outer slopes of reefs, with occasional sightings in the brackish waters of the Goldie River in Papua 🇵🇬 New Guinea. These fish either live solitarily or in pairs. While not observed engaging in cleaning behavior, they may mimic wrasses to avoid predation. They are known for swimming above the substrate, using their keen eyesight to forage for prey on the seabed. Their diet primarily consists of benthic invertebrates and zooplankton, but they also consume crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp, molluscs, worms, sea urchins, and small fish. Reproduction occurs in monogamous pairs, and they display a tendency to swim away in response to threats rather than retreating into their burrows. This species constructs and inhabits burrows using sand and rubble.

The Blue Blanquillo was initially described in 1801 as Labrus latovittatus by the French zoologist Bernard German de Lacépède (1756-1825). Its specific name, a combination of “latus” meaning broad and “vittatus” meaning striped, alludes to its distinctive black stripe.