Variable Blenny

Sexually dimorphic: males are orange-brown while females are sea-green dorsally and lighter below. Similar to P. breviceps in shape but has a blotched, rather than lined pattern on the body. Some color form are probably habitat related. The plain form is mainly green and has numerous tiny pearly spots and occurs in seagrass beds (Ref. 48636).

Oviparous, distinct pairing (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 19; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 16 - 19

Occurs in seagrass beds of shallow lagoons (Ref. 1602). Present in seagrass beds at all life stages (Ref. 41878). Feeds primarily on small crustaceans and occasionally on scales from fishes (Ref. 1602).

Adults occur in seagrass beds of shallow lagoons. Also in Sargassum rafts during or immediately after wet season (Ref. 48636). Replaced by P. thepassi at Solomon Islands (Ref. 90102). They feed primarily on small crustaceans and occasionally on scales from fishes. 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). This form was named by Bleeker (1852) as Petroscirtes bankanensis.

分布於印度-西太平洋區，由斯里蘭卡至斐濟，北至台灣、日本，南至大堡礁等。台灣分布於北部海域。

小型魚類，僅具學術研究價值。

體長形；鰓孔完全在胸鰭基上方。下頜鬚單一不分支；眼眶、眼眶後和後顳區具鬚；大多有頸鬚。上顳骨感覺孔5。D. X-XI, 16-19； A. II, 16-19； P. 13-15； V. I, 3。背鰭第一棘不延長，較第二與第四棘短。體側具5條灰褐縱帶，通常不明顯且愈合成一寬帶；頭與身體有褐色網紋及褐點；背鰭、臀鰭軟條有褐點形成的數列斜帶；背鰭第I與第II棘末稍有黑點；尾鰭基部有灰色帶；胸鰭和腹鰭灰白色。

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 variabilis, the variable sabretooth blenny, variable fangblenny, or the variable blenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in the western Pacific and Indian ocean. This species reaches a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) TL.

Occurs in seagrass beds of shallow lagoons. Feeds primarily on small crustaceans and occasionally on scales from fishes.