Usually inhabits coral-rich areas of drop-offs and steep channel slopes from below the effects of surge to over 25 m. Occurs singly or in small groups, sometimes with other species (Ref. 9710, 48635). A nocturnal species hiding in caves or beneath ledges by day, feeds on plankton such as crab larvae at night.

Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to Natal, South Africa and east to the Line, Society, and Tuamoto islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef. It has not been reported from the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Oman, or the Persian Gulf and is absent in the Hawaiian Islands, Marquesas, Pitcairn Group, and Easter Island (Ref. 12419).

Chagos, Comores, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Reunion, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa (country)

Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, South Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and western Mascarenes east to Line Islands and Tuamotu islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Port Hedland (Western Australia), New Caledonia, Tonga and Austral Islands.

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 12 - 14

Maximum size: 350 mm TL

35.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573))

Pale salmon pink; edges of scales dorsally on body deep blue to black; median fins with broad black outer border. Inner pectoral fin axil naked except for one (rarely two) moderate scales on lower half (Ref. 2334).

Usually inhabits areas of rich coral growth of drop-offs and steep channel slopes from below the effects of surge to over 25 m. Occurs singly or in small groups, sometimes with other species (Ref. 9710). A nocturnal species hiding in caves or beneath ledges by day, feeds on plankton such as crab larvae at night.

reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 25 m (Ref. 9710)

Depth range based on 35 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 31 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1 - 475
  Temperature range (°C): 25.709 - 29.336
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.051 - 0.997
  Salinity (PPS): 33.532 - 35.312
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.444 - 4.748
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.092 - 0.222
  Silicate (umol/l): 1.096 - 2.813

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1 - 475

Temperature range (°C): 25.709 - 29.336

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.051 - 0.997

Salinity (PPS): 33.532 - 35.312

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.444 - 4.748

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.092 - 0.222

Silicate (umol/l): 1.096 - 2.813
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 1 - 25m.
From 1 to 25 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated. Shadowfin soldier.  Bleeker, 1853 The largest species of Myripristis reaching 32 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Natal.

Usually inhabits coral-rich areas of drop-offs and steep channel slopes from below the effects of surge to over 25 m. Occurs singly or in small groups, sometimes with other species. A nocturnal species hiding in caves or beneath ledges by day, feeds on plankton such as crab larvae at night (Ref. 12419). Also Ref. 58534.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 4 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 12
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not Evaluated

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family