Sarcastic Fringehead: Seal It With A Kiss

It's a strange fish indeed, that Sarcastic.

The Sarcastic Fringehead is a rather strange fish with a rather strange name. Found along the Pacific coast from San Francisco, California, to the Mexican Baja-California region, the Sarcastic Fringehead is a small and aggressive saltwater fish. They are usually found at depths of three metres to 73 metres and live in small shelters such as snail shells or empty clams. Other possible habitat choices include human trash such as cans and bottles. The selection of shelter is usually done based on the size of the fish itself; so a large fringehead is found occupying a large container, and if the fringehead is relatively small, so is its container likely to be.

Fringeheads are a part of the Chaenopsidae family, and are categorised as tube blennies. Tube blennies are species that are known to inhabit abandoned tube-like structures. Fringeheads do not get into the burrows or holes head first. They back into it and eliminate the need to turn around to get out of the burrow.

Physical traits of the Sarcastic Fringehead include a long and slender body, long dorsal fins, and a really large head with fat, bulging lips. Their jaws extend beyond the eyes. A noticeable trait is the fringes they have over their eyes, which is the reason behind the second half of their name. The ‘sarcastic’ part of the name is derived from the look of sarcasm on their faces in their natural, resting position. Commonly appearing in brown to grey colours, fringeheads have patches on their cheeks and a huge mouth containing a purple tongue and two rows of teeth. They can extend up to 12 inches (30.5 cm) and do not have scales over their body. They also sport oversized pectoral fins, and undersized pelvic fins.

The Sarcastic Fringehead primarily feeds on squid eggs, amongst several other things. Due to their oversized mouths, scientists have been able to deduce the inability of the fringehead to suction feed. Therefore, they have to keep themselves open to a variety of dietary options, including crabs. This is unlike most tube-blennies, which usually suction feed. Their sharp teeth are said to enable them to capture slippery, moving prey. Furthermore, fringeheads often ambush their prey. They usually jump out of their tubes/shelters to stun their prey and take them by surprise. The swimming movement of fringeheads is rather erratic in nature. Their movements are short and rapid, and the size and placement of their fins enables them to change direction quickly. Fringeheads are not known to swim for long, sustained periods and their movement pattern is rather turbulent.

Fringeheads are fierce defenders and do not allow any intrusion into their territory. They are quite hostile and pugnacious by nature and tend to attack anything and everything that breaches their territory. The attack is usually preceded by a threat, where the fringehead spreads its gill covers and snaps its jaws.

Fringeheads have a peculiar way of taking on their opponents. In one-on-one combat, they engage in full blown, mouth to mouth kisses, quite literally. Fighting individuals often face-off by opening their mouths to the widest possible extent, and wrestle by pressing their mouths against each other. In other words, they seal the territorial disputes with a kiss. Dominance is established by size in these matters. The larger the mouth, the greater the dominance. In case of a visible difference in mouth size, the smaller fish surrenders and abandons its territory without putting up a fight. During the mating season, this competitiveness is amplified, as the females tend to lay their eggs in the burrow of the most dominant male. They have also been known to attack divers, and their needle-like teeth are reportedly sharp enough to penetrate a diver’s suit.

The Sarcastic Fringehead may not be the cutest or the fastest fish out there. But it is definitely noteworthy because of its unique mouths, aggressive behaviour, and the method of combat.

Photo Credit: Nathan Rupert

Editorial Support: Phoenix Content India

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