Épervier tacheté, Halfspotted hawkfish, Ornate hawkfish, Half-dotted hawkfish, Multicolored hawk-fish, Halbgefleckter korallenwächter, Irezumigonbe, イレズミゴンベ, 杂色副䱵,

Synonymes
Cirrhites hemistictus (Günther, 1874)
Cirrhites polystictus (Günther, 1874)
Paracirrhites polystictus (Günther, 1874)
Paracitthites hemistictus (Günther, 1874)
Parracirrhites hemistictus (Günther, 1874)

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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6; Uppermost and lower 7 pectoral rays unbranched; Lateral line scales: 48-51; Snout almost entirely scaled; Body elongate for the genus. Snout depth: 2.8-3.2 in SL. Max. Length: 29.0 cm TL, usually: 20.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 20 m.

Color
Two color phases, not related to sex:
First phase greenish on back, densely spotted with black pale yellow below with series of dark yellow spots following scale rows; An irregular white stripe slightly below midside of body with a few black spots below and occasionnally within stripe; Head greenish to pinkish grey; Fins yellowish.
Second phase grey with numerous close-set dark brown spots on body and a white or pale pink spot slightly smaller than eye on upper side in middle of body.

Etymology
Paracirrhites: from Greek prefix, para- = resembling to + from Latin, cirrus = curl, fringe.
hemistictus: from Greek, hemi = half + from Greek, stictus = spotted, dotted.
Original description: Cirrhites hemistictus Günther, 1874 - Type locality: Society Islands, South Pacific Ocean, part of French Polynesia.

Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific: Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling Islands, east to Line Islands and Pitcairn Islands, north to Amami Islands (Japan) and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Australia and New Caledonia.