The sarcastic fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi) is a small but very hardy saltwater fish that possesses a large mouth and aggressive territorial behavior, for which it has been given its common name.[2]
A sarcastic fringehead living in a plastic tubeDead specimen with open mouth
They can be up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long,[3] elegant and slender,[2] and are mostly scaleless with great pectoral fins and reduced pelvic fins. The swimming movements of these fish are complicated. Their swimming mainly consists of short dart-like movements.[4]
They are typically brown in color. Sarcastic fringeheads are a species of tube blenny and tend to hide inside shells or crevices, though some have been found living in man-made objects, such as soda cans.[5] After the female spawns under a rock or in clam burrows, the male guards the eggs. During squid spawning season, they can consume large numbers of squid eggs.
When two fringeheads have a territorial scuffle, they wrestle by pressing their distended mouths against each other, in a kissing motion. They press against each other until one is able to bite the other's head.[7] This allows them to determine which is the larger fish, which establishes dominance.[8] This is thought to be male-male competition for shelter.
Referencesedit
^Williams, J.T.; Craig, M.T. (2014). "Neoclinus blanchardi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T185133A1770082. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T185133A1770082.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^ ab"Sarcastic Fringehead: Neoclinus blanchardi". Aquarium of the Pacific.
^ abFroese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2013). "Neoclinus blanchardi" in FishBase. February 2013 version.
^Hongjamrassilp, W. (2018). Heterochrony in fringeheads (neoclinus) and amplification of an extraordinary aggressive display in the sarcastic fringehead (teleostei: Blenniiformes). Journal of Morphology (1931), 279(5) Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmor.20798
^"Sarcastic Fringehead". Oceana. Oceana. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
^Christopher Scharpf; Kenneth J. Lazara (10 November 2018). "Order BLENNIIFORMES: Families CLINIDAE, LABRISOMIDAE and CHAENOPSIDAE". ETYFish Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
^Hongjamrassilp, Watcharapong; Skelton, Zachary; Hastings, Philip (2023-05-09). "Function of an extraordinary display in sarcastic fringeheads (Neoclinus blanchardi) with comments on its evolution". Ecology: Ecological Society of America. 104 (1).
^Denny, Mark; Steven Gaines (2002). Chance in Biology. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 13. ISBN0691094942.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Neoclinus blanchardi.
Wikispecies has information related to Neoclinus blanchardi.
sarcastic, fringehead, sarcastic, fringehead, neoclinus, blanchardi, small, very, hardy, saltwater, fish, that, possesses, large, mouth, aggressive, territorial, behavior, which, been, given, common, name, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, . The sarcastic fringehead Neoclinus blanchardi is a small but very hardy saltwater fish that possesses a large mouth and aggressive territorial behavior for which it has been given its common name 2 Sarcastic fringeheadConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder BlenniiformesFamily ChaenopsidaeGenus NeoclinusSpecies N blanchardiBinomial nameNeoclinus blanchardiGirard 1858A sarcastic fringehead living in a plastic tubeDead specimen with open mouthThey can be up to 30 centimetres 12 in long 3 elegant and slender 2 and are mostly scaleless with great pectoral fins and reduced pelvic fins The swimming movements of these fish are complicated Their swimming mainly consists of short dart like movements 4 They are typically brown in color Sarcastic fringeheads are a species of tube blenny and tend to hide inside shells or crevices though some have been found living in man made objects such as soda cans 5 After the female spawns under a rock or in clam burrows the male guards the eggs During squid spawning season they can consume large numbers of squid eggs The specific name honours Dr S B Blanchard of San Diego California who collected specimens of this blenny and passed them on to Charles Frederic Girard who described it 6 Contents 1 Distribution 2 Behaviors 3 References 4 External linksDistribution editThey are found in the Pacific off the coast of North America from San Francisco California to central Baja California Their depth range is from 3 to 73 metres 10 to 240 ft 3 Behaviors editWhen two fringeheads have a territorial scuffle they wrestle by pressing their distended mouths against each other in a kissing motion They press against each other until one is able to bite the other s head 7 This allows them to determine which is the larger fish which establishes dominance 8 This is thought to be male male competition for shelter References edit Williams J T Craig M T 2014 Neoclinus blanchardi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014 e T185133A1770082 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2014 3 RLTS T185133A1770082 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 a b Sarcastic Fringehead Neoclinus blanchardi Aquarium of the Pacific a b Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2013 Neoclinus blanchardi in FishBase February 2013 version Hongjamrassilp W 2018 Heterochrony in fringeheads neoclinus and amplification of an extraordinary aggressive display in the sarcastic fringehead teleostei Blenniiformes Journal of Morphology 1931 279 5 Retrieved from https onlinelibrary wiley com doi full 10 1002 jmor 20798 Sarcastic Fringehead Oceana Oceana Retrieved 29 August 2018 Christopher Scharpf Kenneth J Lazara 10 November 2018 Order BLENNIIFORMES Families CLINIDAE LABRISOMIDAE and CHAENOPSIDAE ETYFish Fish Name Etymology Database Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J Lazara Retrieved 15 April 2019 Hongjamrassilp Watcharapong Skelton Zachary Hastings Philip 2023 05 09 Function of an extraordinary display in sarcastic fringeheads Neoclinus blanchardi with comments on its evolution Ecology Ecological Society of America 104 1 Denny Mark Steven Gaines 2002 Chance in Biology Princeton Princeton University Press p 13 ISBN 0691094942 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Neoclinus blanchardi nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Neoclinus blanchardi University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web Strange Fish Identification Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarcastic fringehead amp oldid 1187444411, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
