Common names: creolefish (English), indio (Espanol), sandia (Espanol), cuna (Espanol), cabinza (Espanol)
 
Paranthias colonus (Valenciennes, 1846)



Pacific creolefish



Body elongate, fusiform; head small, both profiles convex; rakers on first gill arch 37-44;  dorsal rays IX, 19-21; anal rays III, 9-11; pectoral rays 19- 23; tail fin strongly concave.

Young often bright yellow with five small dark spots on back; adults greenish brown dorsally, reddish below with five white or blue-white spots on back; fins reddish.


Size: to 36 cm.

Habitat: forms large midwater schools above rocky reefs while feeding on plankton.

Depth: 0-100 m.

Baja to the central Gulf of California to Peru, and all the offshore islands.

P. furcifer from the western Atlantic is closely related and very similar in appearance.