Sargocentron spiniferum

Sabre Squirrelfish | Giant Squirrelfish | Longjaw Squirrelfish | Spinecheek Squirrelfish | Spiny Squirrelfish
Sargocentron spiniferum
Sargocentron spiniferum, Red Sea, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Sargocentron spiniferum
Sargocentron spiniferum, Red Sea, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Sargocentron spiniferum
Sargocentron spiniferum, Coral Sea, QLD, Photo: Andrew Green
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Sargocentron spiniferum
Sargocentron spiniferum
Sargocentron spiniferum

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Large, red with distinctive pale markings on face giving a 'skeletal' apperance, and a long, thick spine on cheek before gill cover. Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins and lower lobe of tail yellow. Usually hiding well back in caves or underledges. Lack of a white tail base distinguishes it from smaller but similar S. caudimaculatum (Whitetail Squirrelfish).


Information

Max Size: 51 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 23.1-31.2°C

Depth: 1-122m

Habitat Generalization Index: 18.19

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (25.3% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: RD Stuart-Smith, GJ Edgar, AJ Green, IV Shaw. 2015. Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland