Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies) > Blenniinae
Etymology: Plagiotremus: Greek, plagios = oblique + Greek, trema = hole (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Bleeker.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 45 m (Ref. 86942). Tropical; 30°N - 50°S
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa (to False Bay, South Africa, Ref. 4404) to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto Islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Zealand and Rapa. Replaced Plagiotremus goslinei in the Hawaiian Islands (Ref. 37816).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Adults inhabit clear lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710), usually the lower surge zone to deeper areas. They hide in deserted worm tubes when alarmed (Ref. 1602). They feed by attacking other fishes and removing dermal tissue, mucus and sometimes scales; occasionally makes harmless 'attacks' on divers (Ref. 2334, 48636). Some individuals usually strike from behind and quickly dive in the reef for cover to avoid punishment (Ref. 48636). Their wriggling swimming mode possibly mimics other non-scale eating species. 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). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. (Ref. 2334)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 23.9 - 28.8, mean 27.5 °C (based on 638 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00479 (0.00250 - 0.00917), b=3.02 (2.84 - 3.20), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.8 ±0.7 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 103 [54, 164] mg/100g; Iron = 0.75 [0.46, 1.23] mg/100g; Protein = 18.4 [17.3, 19.4] %; Omega3 = 0.105 [0.061, 0.182] g/100g; Selenium = 26.2 [13.3, 54.7] μg/100g; VitaminA = 209 [79, 577] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.45 [0.98, 2.04] mg/100g (wet weight);
