Species: Neoniphon coruscum, Reef Squirrelfish

Neoniphon coruscum (Poey, 1860)

Reef 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 (11-13) soft rays; anal with IV spines, 3rd spine extremely long and stout, 7-8; pectoral 13 (12-13); pelvics I, 7; tail forked; scales large, very rough; 41-45 on lateral line.

Reddish head, body and fins, white below; body with thin, bright white stripes; soft dorsal, anal and tail fins translucent red; spiny dorsal fin red, with white tips to spines, a row of white spots along the base of the fin, a large black blotch on the membranes between the 1st 3 spines; inside pectoral fin base pale.

Reaches 13.5 cm.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 2-140 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.

Note: Recently moved from the genus Sargocentron.