Neoniphon sammara
Spotfish squirrelfish | Armed Squirrelfish | Bloodspot Squirrelfish | Javelin Squirrelfish | Lonchin Squirrelfish | Spotfin Squirrelfish
Similar Species
Distribution
Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Dark blotch in centre of spiny dorsal fin and pronounced stripes along sides which sometimes appear as rows of spots. Spots on cheek, red blotch on operculum and stripe along lateral line red. Shy and secretive, hidden in or near branching corals during the day. Similar N.argenteus (Silver Squirrelfish) lacks black blotch on dorsal fin, while N. opercularis (Blackfin Squirrelfish) lacks lines along body.
Information
Max Size: 32 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 22.3-31.2°C
Depth: 0-46m
Habitat Generalization Index: 16.45
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: Least Concern
Occurrence: Frequent (17.5% 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 (4 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: Joe Shields