Head to head
Midas Blenny vs Lyretail Anthias
The Midas blenny survives partly by looking like an orange anthias, and the lyretail anthias is a good example of the kind of fish it imitates, making this a rare comparison between a disguise and the real thing.
| Midas Blenny | Lyretail Anthias | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ecsenius midas | Pseudanthias squamipinnis |
| Type of fish | A blenny | An anthias |
| Role in the disguise | The mimic, borrowing anthias appearance | A typical example of the fish being resembled |
| Colouring | Orange, with yellow and blue-and-yellow forms | Peach-orange females, more vivid purplish males |
| Social life | Swims alongside anthias schools | Harem groups led by a single dominant male |
| Sex change | Not documented | Begins life as female, with males developing later |
| Native range | Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea | Indo-Pacific |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Midas Blenny vs Lyretail Anthias: common questions
Why does the Midas blenny look like an anthias?
It closely mimics the orange colouring and swimming behaviour of nearby anthias schools, a disguise that may help it approach prey or avoid predators without being noticed as a different species.
Is the Midas blenny related to the lyretail anthias?
No, the similarity is mimicry rather than kinship; the Midas blenny is a blenny, while the lyretail anthias is a true anthias with its own harem-based social structure.
How can you tell a lyretail anthias from a Midas blenny?
The lyretail anthias has a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail and lives in harem groups, while the Midas blenny is a blenny that lacks the forked tail and can also appear in yellow or blue-and-yellow forms.