Crested Sabretooth Blenny

Head and body speckled and mottled; 5-6 indistinct, dark blotches or bands on body usually with dark-edged ocelli above (Ref. 4404). First three rays of dorsal fin are elevated.

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 14

Feeds on microalgae and detritus (Ref. 11889). Common in shallow protected lagoons and reef flats where there are clumps of algae or seagrasses(Ref. 1602).

Adults are found solitary or in small groups (Ref. 90102) in shallow protected lagoons and reef flats with algal and seagrass clumps. Juveniles often in floating Sargassum weeds and maybe dispersed over great distances (Ref. 48636). They swim with the tail oriented vertically. Oviparous. Eggs are demersal and adhesive (Ref. 205), and are attached to the substrate via a filamentous, adhesive pad or pedestal (Ref. 94114). Empty mollusk shells are used for nesting. Larvae are planktonic, often found in shallow, coastal waters (Ref. 94114). Captured at the surface using a hand net (Ref. 26165).

aquarium: commercial

分布於印度-太平洋區，由紅海、東非至費尼斯、薩摩亞及東加群島，北至日本，南至新加勒多尼亞等。台灣分布於西南部及北部等海域。

小型魚類，僅具學術研究價值，或水族觀賞用。

體長形；鰓孔完全在胸鰭基上方。下頜鬚單一不分叉，眼上鬚單一不分叉；眼眶後、顳後、前鰓蓋骨和頸部具微小鬚毛。上下頜齒固著不可動，齒骨具犬齒。D. XI, 15； A. II, 15； P. 14；V. I, 3。背鰭無缺刻，前三棘延長，第I棘等於或長於第II及III棘；背鰭、臀鰭和尾柄相連。頭和體散布雜色為文；體側有5-6條不明顯暗帶，其上通常具眼斑；眼緣腹面前側，有一灰黑帶延伸至喉部，另有一不規則灰色帶自眼前緣至上唇；背、臀和尾鰭具斑紋；腹鰭外側軟條基部有一黑斑。

主要棲息於沿岸具馬尾藻叢或其它海藻的珊瑚礁平台或潟湖區，以這些藻類、碎屑和小型無脊椎動物為食。本種魚具防備用的犬齒，雖不會主動攻擊，一旦被觸摸則會被咬上一口，而這些行為如同其多變的體色一樣，都是一種模倣稀棘鳚屬(/Meiacanthus/)的擬態行為，是海濱的危險生物。雄魚會使用貝殼來築巢，甚至是圓口的空罐也常被使用。

Petroscirtes mitratus, the floral blenny, floral fangblenny, helmeted blenny, or the crested sabretooth blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian ocean. This species reaches a length of 8.5 centimetres (3.3 in) TL. It is the type species of the genus Petroscirtes.

Inhabits shallow protected lagoons and reef flats with algal and seagrass clumps. Swims with its tail oriented vertically. Use empty mollusk shells for nesting.