Goldenstriped soapfish
Grammistes sexlineatus
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Goldenstriped soapfish
- Scientific
- Grammistes sexlineatus
- Dhivehi
- ރަންރޮނގު ލޮނދިމަސްRanrongu londhimas
- Group
- Reef fish
- Maximum size
- Up to about 30 cm (total length)
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 1 to 130 m (usually 1 to 20 m)
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2015
Description
A dark brown to black soapfish with bright yellow to white stripes along the body; young fish have only a few stripes, which divide as they grow and break into dashes in large adults. It hides under ledges and in small caves by day and hunts small fish at night. Its skin releases a bitter, toxic mucus (grammistin) that makes it unpalatable to predators.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi Wikipedia (MRS-derived) gives ranrongu londhimas.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Grammistes-sexlineatus.html
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ރަންރޮނގު_ލޮނދިމަސް
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Grammistes_sexlineatus_AQUAS.jpg
Dhivehi name source: Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ރަންރޮނގު ލޮނދިމަސް' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition). No published Latin-script form found; 'Ranrongu londhimas' is Pax's transliteration of the Thaana (Malé Latin conventions). FishBase also lists 'Haravalufana' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used. FLAG: the source states no traditional name was recorded and this descriptive name was coined for the book; it is not an established fishermen's name. FLAG: Latin form is a transliteration, not a published spelling.