Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 7 - 27 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical; 30°N - 23°S
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to the Cook Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the northern Great Barrier Reef; Guam and Kapingamarangi in Micronesia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 2.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Dorsal spines (total): 5 - 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Dorsal-fin rays VI + I,7-1,9 (usually I,8); anal-fin rays I,8 or I,9 (usually I,9); pectoral-fin rays usually 14-16; scales on body extending forward at most to below interdorsal space, the longitudinal scale series 19-40 (mean count 31); canine tooth present on side of lower jaw; head and body compressed; body depth at origin of anal fin 16-25% SL; snout usually shorter than orbit diameter; gill opening reaching to or anterior to posterior margin of orbit; caudal fin usually slightly emarginate; pelvic fins forming a shallow cup, the spines as fleshy lobes; body transparent in life, except for yellow over abdomen; interorbital and iris bright pink. Largest specimen, 19.5mm SL (Ref. 89154).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.
Hovers in groups above branches of certain Acropora corals in shallow lagoon reefs, Ref. 48637.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Benthic spawner.
Myers, R.F., 1991. Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p. (Ref. 1602)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.3 - 29.3, mean 28.2 °C (based on 1906 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00724 (0.00339 - 0.01546), b=3.10 (2.92 - 3.28), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.3 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 445 [186, 1,513] mg/100g; Iron = 1.8 [0.7, 4.2] mg/100g; Protein = 17.6 [15.4, 19.5] %; Omega3 = 0.104 [0.032, 0.332] g/100g; Selenium = 40.1 [10.4, 132.2] μg/100g; VitaminA = 91.4 [15.8, 480.3] μg/100g; Zinc = 4.84 [2.49, 8.34] mg/100g (wet weight);
