Species: Liopropoma santi, Tail-spot Basslet

Liopropoma santi Baldwin & Robertson, 2014

Tail-spot Basslet

Body moderately elongate, relatively slender, body depth at dorsal fin origin 23-26% SL, and compressed; head robust, conical, upper profile slightly convex; snout bluntly pointed in adult; eye relatively large (9.4-12% SL); front nostril tubular, near top lip; mouth moderately large, slightly oblique, lower jaw projecting; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without accessory bone above it, lower rear corner of top jaw bone with prominent, bluntly pointed, ventral projection; rear edge of preopercle not serrated; operculum with 3 broad flat spines at rear; 20-21 gill rakers, including rudiments; dorsal fin VIII, 13, rear part of spinous dorsal moderately indented, 3rd spine longest; anal fin III, 8.5, rear edge pointed; pectoral 15; tail base deep, strongly compressed; tail slightly forked; scales small, rough, 48 (47-48) with pores on lateral line, 2 more on tail fin base.

Adult with head purplish pink on snout and over eye, nape yellow, rest white; top lip entirely yellow-orange; iris yellow-orange; upper half of body yellow with a salmon tint to the lower part, lower body white, mid-flank with a pinkish tint; a series of ~13 back-pointing bright white chevron marks along lower body; dorsal fin yellow, anal and pelvics white; tail fin yellow, particularly at rear of both lobes, with an obvious reddish-black spot on the lower tip; pectorals clear. Juvenile like adult.

Reaches 14.3 cm.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 182-275 m.

The Bahamas, Roatan and Curacao.