Species: Sargocentron bullisi, Deepwater Squirrelfish

Sargocentron bullisi (Woods, 1955)

Deepwater Squirrelfish

Body oblong, elongate; snout pointed; eye very large; mouth small, oblique; lower jaw not projecting; edges of bones of operculum and under eye with series of slender spines; 1-2 enlarged spines on edge of operculum; a long stout spine at corner of preopercle; 10-14 lower gill rakers; dorsal fin with XI spines, a distinct gap between last spine and first ray of soft dorsal, front soft rays not elongate; 12 (11-12) soft rays; anal with IV spines, 3rd spine extremely long and stout, 7-8; pectoral 14 (13-15); pelvics I, 7; tail forked; scales large, very rough.

Red, white below; upper body yellowish orange; body with thin white stripes edged above and below by thin dark red borders; spiny dorsal orange, a small black spot behind tip of 1st dorsal spine in small fish only; soft dorsal, anal and tail fins translucent red; inside pectoral fin base pale.

Reaches 16 cm.

Lives on inshore and offshore reefs.

Depth range: 0-128 m.

N Carolina to Suriname.

Note: Probably belongs in the genus Neoniphon.