Inhabits surge-swept tunnels and crevices of the reef margin and reef front. Rarely occurs below 30 m, but has been observed at depths of 101 to 183 m in the Hawaiian Islands (Ref. 1602); majority of specimens collected in less than 3 m, often in tide pools (Ref. 27370). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). It disperses at night over sand flats and open reef bottom to feed on small crustaceans, crustacean larvae, and polychaete worms. Spine of preopercle venomous. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30874.

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and Algoa Bay, South Africa (Ref. 4201) to the Hawaiian and Easter islands, north to southern Japan and the Ogasawara Islands, south to northern Australia and the Austral Islands.

Cargados Carajos, Chagos, Comores, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Red Sea, Reunion, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa (country)

Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, South Africa, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Hawaiian Islands and Easter Island, north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to Western Australia at 17°30'S, New Caledonia and Rapa.

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Maximum size: 230 mm TL

23.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 30874))

Body reddish silver, iridescent bluish above; scales finely dotted with black; spinous dorsal silvery white, with broad red margin (Ref. 4201). Five oblique scale rows on cheek; body depth 2.7-3.15 in SL; head length (HL) 2.75-3.1 in SL; snout length 4.0-4.65 in HL; interorbital width 3.6-4.05 in HL; small mouth terminal to slightly inferior, maxilla reaching from below front of iris to below center of eye, upper jaw length 2.7-3.15 in HL; premaxillary groove reaching to about a vertical at the front edge of orbit; anterior end of nasal bone rounded; medial margin of nasal bone without spinule; small nasal fossa without spinules on its edge; upper edge of suborbital bone below the eye weakly serrated, spineless laterally; short preopercular spine 1/2-3/4 orbit diameter, 4.75-6.45 in HL; 3rd-5th dorsal spine longest 2.0-2.3 in HL; 3rd anal spine 1.2-1.55 in HL (Ref. 27370).

Inhabits surge-swept tunnels and crevices of the reef margin and reef front. Rarely occurs below 30 m, but has been observed at depths of 101 to 183 m in the Hawaiian Islands (Ref. 1602). It disperses at night over sand flats and open reef bottom to feed on small crustaceans, crustacean larvae, and polychaete worms. Spine of preopercle venomous.

reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 183 m (Ref. 9710), usually 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Depth range based on 194 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 153 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0.305 - 100
  Temperature range (°C): 22.368 - 29.336
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.019 - 1.204
  Salinity (PPS): 33.507 - 36.148
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.444 - 5.079
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.085 - 0.351
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.829 - 6.035

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0.305 - 100

Temperature range (°C): 22.368 - 29.336

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.019 - 1.204

Salinity (PPS): 33.507 - 36.148

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.444 - 5.079

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.085 - 0.351

Silicate (umol/l): 0.829 - 6.035
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 0 - 183m.
Recorded at 183 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated.

Found in inshore waters. A nocturnal species (Ref. 75154).

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


There are 10 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.


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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 11
Specimens with Barcodes: 23
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not Evaluated

aquarium: commercial