| Family: |
Pinguipedidae (Sandperches) |
| Max. size: |
21.2 cm SL (male/unsexed); 14.32 cm SL (female) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 6 - 55 m |
| Distribution: |
Eastern Central Pacific: Kiribati. Appears to be endemic to this part of the Pacific. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 5-5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21-21; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 17-17; Vertebrae: 30-30. Predorsal scales about 15. Small and cycloid scales on cheek; on body ctenoid. No serrae or spines on edges of opercular bones except a single stout spine on opercle. Body elongate, depth 5.7-6.2 in SL; whitish with 8 narrow dark bars, all but first and last broadly expanded dorsally to a Y-shape. Body cylindrical anteriorly, the width slightly greater than depth. Third or 4th dorsal spines longest; membrane of 5th dorsal spine connected directly across from spine tip to first soft ray. Caudal fin slightly rounded, upper corner projecting as a short, broad-based filament in adults. Mouth slightly oblique, the lower jaw projecting. |
| Biology: |
Collected from sand or sand and rubble substrata in both lagoon and seaward reef areas. Large and easily approached. Apparently a protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 48238). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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