Petroscirtes is a genus of combtooth blennies found in the western Pacific, and Indian oceans. Some species of this genus have venom that interacts with opioid receptors. Adults usually inhabit coastal reefs and estuaries to depths of about 10 meters, but they can also be found up to 15 meters in depth in sandy and weedy areas among clumps of Sargassum or other seaweeds in coastal and lagoon reefs. They can be found in nests inside small-necked bottles and abandoned worm tubes or shells.
Species
There are currently 11 recognized species in this genus:
- Petroscirtes ancylodon <small>Rüppell, 1835</small> (Arabian fangblenny)
- Petroscirtes breviceps <small>(Valenciennes, 1836)</small> (Striped poison-fang blenny mimic)
- Petroscirtes fallax <small>Smith-Vaniz, 1976</small> (Deceiver fangbelly)
- Petroscirtes lupus <small>(De Vis, 1885)</small> (Wolf fangbelly)
- Petroscirtes marginatus <small>Smith-Vaniz, 1976</small>
- Petroscirtes mitratus <small>Rüppell, 1830</small> (Floral blenny)
- Petroscirtes pylei <small>Smith-Vaniz, 2005</small> (Twilight Fangblenny)
- Petroscirtes springeri <small>Smith-Vaniz, 1976</small>
- Petroscirtes thepassii <small>Bleeker, 1853</small> (Thepas' sabretooth blenny)
- Petroscirtes variabilis <small>Cantor, 1849</small> (Variable sabretooth blenny)
- Petroscirtes xestus <small>D. S. Jordan & Seale, 1906</small> (Xestus sabretooth blenny)
References