It’s been less than five month since Conservation International’s survey of Bali yielded new coral and fish species and one of those blennies has already been described along with two others. Meiacanthus abruptus, M. erdmanni and M. cyanopterus are all great looking species of fang blennies which were discovered in Indonesia, where there is a chance that they could some day be collected for the aquarium trade. The three new species of Meiacanthus fang blennies were described in the latest issue of Zootaxa by Drs. William Smith-Vaniz and Gerald Allen.
Meiacanthus cyanopterus is a new striking species of fang blenny with bold black and white longitudinal stripes running from the very tip of the snout to the base of the caudal fin. Meiacanthus cyanopterus was collected at Alor Strait near Pura Island Island Indonesia – this species was collected in relatively deep water between 40 and 65 meters (130 to 215 feet).
Meiacanthus abruptus is the official name of the black and yellow-striped fang blenny that was first revealed in the photos from Conservation International. Meiacanthus abruptus was described from two specimens and photographs in the wild in Bali Indonesia. Meiacanthus abruptus is closely related to M. vicinus from the Banggai Islands whose stripes are more tapering and extend further onto the caudal fin.
Meiacanthus erdmanni was collected in 65 to 70 meters deep (215 to 230 feet) making it one of the deepest known fang blennies in the genus Meiacanthus. M. erdmanni was found in Cenderawasih Bay, western New Guinea, the same place where the gorgeous Charlene’s Anthias was discovered.
