Species: Sargocentron poco, Saddle Squirrelfish

Sargocentron poco (Woods, 1965)

Saddle Squirrelfish

Body oblong; 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; 13 soft rays; anal with IV spines, 3rd spine extremely long and stout, 7-8; pectoral 14 (13-14); pelvics I, 7; tail forked; scales large, very rough; 37-40 on lateral line.

Reddish; dorsal fin with a large black blotch on the membranes between the 1st 3 spines; body with a large dark blotch under junction of spiny and soft dorsal fins, another on upper tail base; inside pectoral fin base pale.

Reaches 13 cm.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 2-152 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.

Note: Probably belongs in the genus Neoniphon.