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).
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 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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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).
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);