Inhabit lagoons, subtidal reef flats and outer reef slopes (where it occurs to depths of over 20 m). Often in lives in pairs in empty worm tubes or narrow holes. Mimic the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus and nip fins, skin and scales of other fishes (Ref. 9710). It even copies the motion of the cleaner wrasse that may induce other fish to come close, but it targets their scales or mucus for a feed, biting and quickly retreating to the corals before the victim realizes that it was tricked; experienced fish recognize imposters and often give it a chase (Ref. 48636). Also feed on tubeworms and demersal fish eggs. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205).

Indo-West Pacific.

Pacific Ocean: Cocos-Keeling Islands (Ref. 9399) and Christmas Island (Ref. 30874) in the eastern Indian Ocean to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to New South Wales; throughout Micronesia.

Chagos, Mauritius, Mozambique, Red Sea, Seychelles, South Africa (country)

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26 - 28; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 25 - 28

11.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710))

Bears an amazing resemblance to the cleaner wrasse, Labroides dimidiatus. Distinguished from L. dimidiatus by the position of its mouth, which is terminal in the wrasse but under the snout in the blenny.

An amazing mimic of the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus, not only in colour but behaviour. There is a dual basis to the mimicry: the blenny avoids predation in its guise of the wrasse (which is protected because it removes ectoparasites from other fishes) and it gets closer to its prey. It feeds in part by tearing pieces from the fins of other fishes<307>.

reef-associated; marine; depth range 3 - 25 m (Ref. 30874)

Depth range based on 59 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 38 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1 - 498
  Temperature range (°C): 8.264 - 29.336
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.050 - 27.282
  Salinity (PPS): 32.200 - 36.142
  Oxygen (ml/l): 3.389 - 4.717
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.055 - 2.027
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.829 - 20.500

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1 - 498

Temperature range (°C): 8.264 - 29.336

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.050 - 27.282

Salinity (PPS): 32.200 - 36.142

Oxygen (ml/l): 3.389 - 4.717

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.055 - 2.027

Silicate (umol/l): 0.829 - 20.500
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Inhabit lagoons, subtidal reef flats and outer reef slopes (where it occurs to depths of over 20 m). Often in lives in pairs in empty worm tubes or narrow holes. Mimic the cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus and nip fins, skin and scales of other fishes (Ref. 9710). It even copies the motion of the cleaner wrasse that may induce other fish to come close, but it targets their scales or mucus for a feed, biting and quickly retreating to the corals before the victim realizes that it was tricked; experienced fish recognize imposters and often give it a chase (Ref. 48636). Also feeds on tubeworms and demersal fish eggs.

Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 4 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 5
Specimens with Barcodes: 13
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not Evaluated

aquarium: commercial