Species: Neoniphon vexillarium, Dusky Squirrelfish

Neoniphon vexillarium (Poey, 1860)

Dusky 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 (12-14) soft rays; anal with IV spines, 3rd spine extremely long and stout, 9 (8-10); pectoral 15 (14-16); pelvics I, 7; tail forked; scales large, very rough; 41-45 on lateral line.

Brownish red; body with dark lines bordering wide silver stripes; spiny dorsal pink, with red spots after spine tips; tail with red upper and lower margins; inside pectoral base black to brown.

Reaches 17.2 cm.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 0-25 m.

Bermuda to the S Caribbean.

Note: Recently moved from the genus Sargocentron.