Sargocentron melanospilos

(Bleeker, 1858)

Blackspot Squirrelfish, Blackbloch Squirrelfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Red Sea to the Marshall Islands and Samoa, north to Taiwan and Southern Japan, and south to the Great Barrier Reef.

Size: 10 inches (25 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits crevices and caves on rocky reefs and can be found at depths between 15 - 300 feet (5 - 90 m) during daylight hours, and feeds at night mainly on crabs and shrimp.

General Husbandry: Has reddish body with white in the mid level of the reddish dorsal fin, and a black spot at the rear base of the dorsal. There’s also another black spot on the caudal peduncle and one at the top area of the anal fin.

Rare in the wild and not purposely collected for the trade.

Taxonomy:

Order: Beryciformes

Suborder: Holocentroidei

Family: Holocentridae

Genus: Sargocentron

FYI: Shown here for identification only.