Teleostei (teleosts) >
Blenniiformes (Blennies) >
Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies) > Blenniinae
Etymology: Meiacanthus: Greek, meion = less = lessen + Greek, akantha = thorn (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Günther.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m (Ref. 128797). Tropical; 30°N - 24°S
Western Pacific: Bali and the Philippines east to Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Rowley Shoals, the southern Great Barrier Reef, and New Caledonia; throughout Micronesia. Replaced by the uniformly yellow species ovalauensis in Fiji, and by Meiacanthus tongaensis in Tonga (Ref. 37816).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Dorsal spines (total): 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25 - 28; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 15 - 18. Identified by the blue-edged diagonal black line from the eye and yellow dorsal fin or back. Adults have long filaments on the caudal fin tips; length without filaments (Ref. 48636).
Adults are found solitary or in pairs (Ref. 90102) in lagoon and seaward reefs below the surge zone to 30 m depth (Ref. 9710). A common species, often seen along slopes and drop-offs, adults sometimes in small groups (Ref. 48636). Feed on zooplankton and also on small benthic invertebrates. Inoffensive, but immune from predation (Ref. 9710). 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). Mimicked by Ecsenius bicolor and Plagiotremus laudanus (Ref. 90102).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p. (Ref. 1602)
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): 25.6 - 29.3, mean 28.5 °C (based on 1837 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.41 se; based on food items.
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 = 126 [67, 200] mg/100g; Iron = 0.726 [0.440, 1.189] mg/100g; Protein = 18.4 [17.4, 19.5] %; Omega3 = 0.104 [0.060, 0.178] g/100g; Selenium = 25.1 [12.1, 50.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 142 [47, 405] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.81 [1.21, 2.54] mg/100g (wet weight);
