Meiacanthus grammistes

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Meiacanthus grammistes
Meiacanthus grammistes.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Blenniiformes
Family: Blenniidae
Genus: Meiacanthus
Species:
M. grammistes
Binomial name
Meiacanthus grammistes
(Valenciennes, 1836)
Synonyms

Blennechis grammistesValenciennes, 1836

Meiacanthus grammistes, the striped blenny, also called the striped fang blenny, grammistes blenny, line-spot harptail blenny or striped poison-fang blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny from the western Pacific Ocean. The fish stays in the open ocean, but travels into shallow saltwater and brackish estuaries. This venomous species occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.

Contents

Anatomy

The fish is stout and deep-bodied, with a pointed snout and long continuous dorsal fin. It is brown with tan wavy bands stretching the length of its body. On the dorsal fin near the head is a small blue spot. This species grows to 11 cm (4.3 in) TL. [2] The fish has relatively large fangs (canine teeth) that protrude from the lower jaw. [3]

Venom

The unusual venom, which targets the body's opioid receptors, is being investigated as a potential new painkiller for human use. [4] The venom consists of a neuropeptide also seen in cone snail venom, a lipase similar to the one used by certain species of scorpions and an opioid peptide. [3] Blennies use it to stun predators. The venom reduces the blood pressure of the predator, relaxing its jaws so the blenny can escape. Administration of the venom was found to not cause pain in mice, which is atypical, as most fish venoms are painful. Administration of the venom also did not result in a drop in heart rate in rats. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combtooth blenny</span> Family of fishes

Combtooth blennies are blenniiformids; percomorph marine fish of the family Blenniidae, part of the order Blenniiformes. They are the largest family of blennies with around 401 known species in 58 genera. Combtooth blennies are found in tropical and subtropical waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans; some species are also found in brackish and even freshwater environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blenniiformes</span> Order of fishes

Blenny is a common name for many types of fish, including several families of percomorph marine, brackish, and some freshwater fish sharing similar morphology and behaviour. Six families are considered "true blennies", grouped under the order Blenniiformes; its members are referred to as blenniiformids. About 151 genera and nearly 900 species have been described within the order. The order was formerly classified as a suborder of the Perciformes but the 5th Edition of Fishes of the World divided the Perciformes into a number of new orders and the Blenniiformes were placed in the percomorph clade Ovalentaria alongside the such taxa as Cichliformes, Mugiliformes and Gobiesociformes.

<i>Aulostomus maculatus</i> Species of fish

Aulostomus maculatus, the West Atlantic trumpetfish, is a long-bodied fish with an upturned mouth. It often swims vertically while trying to blend with vertical coral, such as sea rods, sea pens, and pipe sponges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foxface rabbitfish</span> Species of fish

The foxface rabbitfish, also known as the foxface, black-face rabbit fish, badger fish or the common foxface is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venomous fish</span> Fish that have the ability to produce toxins

Venomous fish are species of fish which produce strong mixtures of toxins harmful to humans which they deliberately deliver by means of a bite, sting, or stab, resulting in an envenomation. As a contrast, poisonous fish also produce a strong toxin, but they do not bite, sting, or stab to deliver the toxin, instead being poisonous to eat because the human digestive system does not destroy the toxin they contain in their bodies. Venomous fish do not necessarily cause poisoning if they are eaten, as the digestive system often destroys the venom.

<i>Salarias fasciatus</i> Species of marine fish

Salarias fasciatus, commonly known as the jewelled blenny or lawnmower blenny is a benthic, neritic, marine fish species endemic to Australasia. Despite being known as the lawnmower blenny, due to its propensity to consume algae growth in aquaria, it is principally a detritivore, with plant material making up only about 15% of its diet. The lawnmower blenny camoflauges with its surroundings, even changing color to hide itself from predators.

<i>Meiacanthus atrodorsalis</i> Species of fish

Meiacanthus atrodorsalis, the forktail blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean. This species grows to a length of 11 centimetres (4.3 in) TL. This venomous species can also be found in the aquarium trade. It is also known as the eyelash harptail-blenny, poison-fang blenny or the yellowtail poison-fang blenny.

<i>Meiacanthus</i> Genus of fishes

Meiacanthus is a genus of combtooth blennies found in the western Pacific and Indian oceans. Many species in this genus make their way into the aquarium trade and several are venomous. The genus name Meiacanthus is derived from the Greek meion meaning "less" and akantha meaning "thorn" and refers to most species having relatively few dorsal fin spines.

<i>Hypsoblennius invemar</i> Species of fish

Hypsoblennius invemar, commonly known as the tessellated blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Atlantic Ocean.

Meiacanthus ditrema, the one-striped poison-fang blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean. This species grows to a length of 6 centimetres (2.4 in) TL.

Meiacanthus vittatus, the one-striped fangblenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean. This species grows to a length of 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in) TL. This species can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaweed blenny</span> Species of fish

The seaweed blenny is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Atlantic Ocean along the coasts of New York, Bermuda, the Bahamas, also in the Gulf of Mexico, south to southern Brazil. This species reaches a length of 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in) TL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portuguese blenny</span> Species of fish

The Portuguese blenny, also known as the red blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the eastern Atlantic ocean off western Europe and Macaronesia.

<i>Petroscirtes fallax</i> Species of fish

Petroscirtes fallax, the deceiver fangbelly or yellow saberetooth blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the western Pacific ocean. This species reaches a length of 9.5 centimetres (3.7 in) TL. This is a small species of blenny with a body which is yellow to whitish in colour and is marked with three longitudinal black stripes. The more ventral stripe extending onto the base of the pectoral fin although not to the base of the anal fin. This species is thought to be a possible Batesian mimic of the Lined Fangblenny, Meiacanthus lineatus, which has a pair of venomous canine-like teeth in its lower jaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluestriped fangblenny</span> Species of fish

Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos, commonly called the bluestriped fangblenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. This species reaches a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL. It is also known as the bluestriped blenny, bluestriped sabretooth blenny, blunt-nose blenny, cleaner mimic, tube-worm blenny or the two-stripe blenny. They hide in deserted worm tubes or other small holes.

<i>Paraclinus grandicomis</i> Species of fish

Paraclinus grandicomis, the horned blenny, is a perciform marine species of labrisomid blenny native to reefs of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It is a benthic fish so it cruises along above the sandy or rocky seabed and foraging for crustaceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dusky spinefoot</span> Species of fish

The dusky spinefoot, also known the squaretail rabbitfish,is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is native to the western Indian Ocean which has spread to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. Its fin spines contain venom. It is regarded as a food fish.

<i>Scolopsis margaritifera</i> Species of fish

Scolopsis margaritifera, the pearly monocle bream or pearly spinecheek, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Nemipteridae, the threadfin breams. This fish is found in the marginally in the eastern Indian Ocean and in the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Scorpaena plumieri</i> Species of fish

Scorpaena plumieri, the spotted scorpionfish, is a species of venomous marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. Williams, J.T. (2014). "Meiacanthus grammistes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T48342154A48389543. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T48342154A48389543.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Meiacanthus grammistes" in FishBase . February 2013 version.
  3. 1 2 Micu, Alexandru (2017-04-03). "Fanged blenny 'heroin'-like venom could be the next super-painkiller". ZME Science. Retrieved 2017-04-04.
  4. Bridie Smith (31 March 2017). "Meet the fang blenny: the 'heroin'-injecting fish offering high hopes for new painkillers". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. Casewell, N.; Visser, J.; Baumann, K. (2017). "The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes". Current Biology. 27 (8): 1184–1191. Bibcode:2017CBio...27.1184C. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.067 . hdl: 1887/115463 . PMID   28366739.