| Family: |
Malacanthidae (Tilefishes) |
| Max. size: |
21 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 40 - 70 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: off Kosi Bay in South Africa (Ref. 11228) eastward to the Solomon Islands, north to the Philippines, Palau, and the Marshall Islands (Ref. 33390). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-13; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 12-12; Vertebrae: 24-24. Body pale olive-grey, darker above, belly pale blue; bluish violet band joining eyes across front of snout; lips and cheeks blue; upper 1/3 of pectoral fins bluish white, remainder pale yellow (Ref. 5591). This rare species has the deepest body in the genus and a thicker tail than H. cuniculus and H. starcki (Ref. 37816).
Description: Greatest depth of body 3.5-4.2 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits sandy areas at bases of reefs (Ref. 9710). A rare species that schools above huge mounds of rubble that it apparently builds (up to 5.5 m long x 3 m wide over 1 m high). Solitary or in pairs (Ref 90102). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
| Country info: |
Museum: Off Batangas, Luzon, BPBM 21109 (Ref. 9933). Also Ref. 33390. |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
