Species: Myripristis gildi, Clipperton cardinal soldierfish

Myripristis gildi Greenfield, 1965

Clipperton Cardinal Soldierfish

Body ovate, deep; mouth moderately large, oblique; snout blunt, forehead convex; eye very large; no spine at corner of preopercle, which has a concave edge; opercle with one short spine, inner ridge of opercle and other head bones serrated; 34-37 gill rakers; dorsal fin with XI spines, continuous but deeply notched between last 2 spines, 14-15; anal with IV spines, 3rd spine stoutest, it or 4th longest, 11-13 rays; tail forked; scales large, very rough; lateral-line scales 32-35; 2.5 scale rows above lateral line.

Dull red body and fins; dorsal and anal often with faint white anterior margins; tail with faint white upper and lower borders; moderately dark bar behind upper operculum and on pectoral base.

Size: 25 cm.

Habitat: coral reef.

Depth: 5-50 m.

Endemic to Clipperton Atoll.

Note: M. gildi was not observed at Clipperton in 1994 during a survey of shorefishes by GR Allen and DR Robertson. Less than 20 individuals of M. gildi were seen during a 2 week survey of the island by DRR in 1998. Given that rarity and the fact that its distinguishing characteristics are intermediate between those of M. berntdi and M clarionensis, both of which are abundant at Clipperton, the possibility exists that M gildi is actually a hybrid of those two species.