Fine Lined Squirrelfish

Body with red and white stripes of different widths; head reddish above, silvery below; faint red band from eye to angle of preopercle; spinous dorsal white, with a submarginal zone of red (Ref. 4201). Five oblique scale rows on cheek; body moderately elongated, depth 2.9-3.5 in SL; head length (HL) 2.8-3.4 in SL; snout length 3.9-4.35 in HL; interorbital width 4.15-4.5 in HL; maxillary reaching to about below front of iris, upper jaw length 2.85-3.15 in HL; premaxillary groove reaching to about a vertical at the front edge of orbit; anterior end of nasal bone rounded; 1-2 spinules at medial margin of nasal bone; small nasal fossa without spinules on its edge (except a 16.3 cm specimen from the Society Islands with 1 spinule); upper edge of suborbital bone weakly serrated, spineless laterally; short preopercular spine 1/4-1/3 orbit diameter, 6.15-7.95 in HL; 3rd-5th dorsal spine longest 1.5-1.95 in HL; extremely long 3rd anal spine 1.0-1.2 in HL (Ref. 27370).

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 9 - 10

Inhabits coral reefs (Ref. 58534). A nocturnal species (Ref. 75154).

Inhabits virtually all coral reef zones (Ref. 1602). Benthopelagic in or near crevices and holes (Ref. 58302). Common in thickets of staghorn Acropora or in large Pocillopora heads (Ref. 1602). Feeds on small crustaceans, worms, and fishes during the night (Ref. 30874). Spine of preopercle venomous. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30874.

aquarium: public aquariums

Sargocentron microstoma, the fine-lined squirrelfish, slender squirrelfish or smallmouth squirrelfish, is a member of the family Holocentridae. It has a wide range throughout the Indo-Pacific from the Chagos Archipelago, Seychelles, and the Maldives to the Hawaiian Islands, Line Islands, and the Tuamotus Archipelago, north to the Ryukyu Islands and Bonin Islands, south to Austral Islands and throughout Micronesia. It lives near reefs usually at depths between 1–35 m (3.3–114.8 ft), but can be found as deep as 183 m (600 ft). During the day it hides in crevices, especially near Acropora and Pocillopora. It is a nocturnal predator, feeding on crustaceans, worms, and fishes. It can reach sizes of up to 20 cm (7.9 in) TL and has a venomous preopercle.

Inhabits virtually all coral reef zones to a depth of 183 m. Common in thickets of staghorn @Acropora@ or in large @Pocillopora@ heads. Feeds on small crustaceans, worms, and fishes during the night. Spine of preopercle venomous.