Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952
Japanese snake blenny
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Blenniidae (Combtooth blennies), subfamily: Blenniinae
Max. size:  30 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 4960 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to Samoa and Ellice Islands, north to Japan, south to Lord Howe Island; Mariana Islands in Micronesia. Southeast Atlantic: False Bay, South Africa (Ref. 4404).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 99-104; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 97-104
Biology:  Adults inhabit deep waters but rises to the surface at night. Rare species (Ref. 559). They live in tubes in fine sand or mud and rise to the surface at night where they fall prey to pelagic fishes (Ref. 37816). 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).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 28 March 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.