SARGOCENTRON MELANOSPILOS - (BLEEKER, 1858)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Beryciformes (Order) > Holocentroidei (Suborder) > Holocentridae (Family) > Holocentrinae (Subfamily) > Sargocentron (Genus)
Écureuil à points noirs, Black-blotched squirrel-fish, Blackblotch squirrelfish, Blackspot squirrelfish, Three-spot squirrelfish, Swartkol-soldaat, Sumitsuki Kanoko, スミツキカノコ, 金鳞甲, 黑點棘鱗魚,
Synonyme
Holocentrum melanospilos (Bleeker, 1858)
Écureuil à points noirs, Black-blotched squirrel-fish, Blackblotch squirrelfish, Blackspot squirrelfish, Three-spot squirrelfish, Swartkol-soldaat, Sumitsuki Kanoko, スミツキカノコ, 金鳞甲, 黑點棘鱗魚,
Synonyme
Holocentrum melanospilos (Bleeker, 1858)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 9-10; Body depth: 2.7-2.95 in SL; Head length (HL): 2.6-2.9 in SL; Snout length: 3.6-4.4 in HL; Interorbital width: 4.4-5.25 in HL; Slender caudal peduncle, depth: 3.9-4.65 in HL; Maxilla extending from below center of the eye to a vertical at rear edge of pupil, upper jaw length: 2.25-2.4 in HL; Premaxillary groove ending above or slightly posterior to a vertical at the front edge of orbit; Anterior end of nasal bone ending with a small spine; Surface or medial edge of nasal bone spineless; Nasal fossa with 1 to 4 spinules on posterior edge; Preopercular spine: 3.45-3.65 in HL; Longest dorsal spine: 1.95-2.4 in HL; 3rd anal spine: 1.5-1.75 in HL. Max. length: 25.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 90 m.
Color
Body with red and white stripes following the scale rows; Black blotch at base of soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, but may be faint or absent in caudal and anal fins. Uniformly small ctenii on posterior margin of scales of body. Inferior mouth due to hypertrophy of median part of upper lip (front of upper lip thickened and slightly protruding). Five oblique scale rows on cheek.
Etymology
Sargocentron: from Greek, sargos = sargus, a name of a marine fish + from Greek, kentron = sting.
melanospilos: from ancien Greek, mélas, mélanos = black + from ancient Greek, spilos = spot. Referring to large oval black spot on scaled basal part of soft portion of dorsal fin and adjacent back.
Original description: Holocentrum melanospilos Bleeker, 1858 - Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania, Seychelles, Aldabra (Seychelles), Comoros, Madagascar and western Mascarenes (La Réunion) east to Wake Atoll, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Tonga, north to Amami Islands (southern Japan) and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Western Australia, Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 9-10; Body depth: 2.7-2.95 in SL; Head length (HL): 2.6-2.9 in SL; Snout length: 3.6-4.4 in HL; Interorbital width: 4.4-5.25 in HL; Slender caudal peduncle, depth: 3.9-4.65 in HL; Maxilla extending from below center of the eye to a vertical at rear edge of pupil, upper jaw length: 2.25-2.4 in HL; Premaxillary groove ending above or slightly posterior to a vertical at the front edge of orbit; Anterior end of nasal bone ending with a small spine; Surface or medial edge of nasal bone spineless; Nasal fossa with 1 to 4 spinules on posterior edge; Preopercular spine: 3.45-3.65 in HL; Longest dorsal spine: 1.95-2.4 in HL; 3rd anal spine: 1.5-1.75 in HL. Max. length: 25.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 90 m.
Color
Body with red and white stripes following the scale rows; Black blotch at base of soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins, but may be faint or absent in caudal and anal fins. Uniformly small ctenii on posterior margin of scales of body. Inferior mouth due to hypertrophy of median part of upper lip (front of upper lip thickened and slightly protruding). Five oblique scale rows on cheek.
Etymology
Sargocentron: from Greek, sargos = sargus, a name of a marine fish + from Greek, kentron = sting.
melanospilos: from ancien Greek, mélas, mélanos = black + from ancient Greek, spilos = spot. Referring to large oval black spot on scaled basal part of soft portion of dorsal fin and adjacent back.
Original description: Holocentrum melanospilos Bleeker, 1858 - Type locality: Ambon Island, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania, Seychelles, Aldabra (Seychelles), Comoros, Madagascar and western Mascarenes (La Réunion) east to Wake Atoll, Marshall Islands, Samoa and Tonga, north to Amami Islands (southern Japan) and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Western Australia, Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
A relatively uncommon inhabitant of rocky reefs and coral-rich areas. Spine of preopercle venomous. Usually seen solitary, but sometimes forms schools in deep water in oceanic locations.
Similar species
Sargocentron marisrubri (Randall, Golani & Diamant, 1989) - Reported from Red Sea (endemic).
A relatively uncommon inhabitant of rocky reefs and coral-rich areas. Spine of preopercle venomous. Usually seen solitary, but sometimes forms schools in deep water in oceanic locations.
Similar species
Sargocentron marisrubri (Randall, Golani & Diamant, 1989) - Reported from Red Sea (endemic).
Last update: 13, March 2023