Sunset Dottyback, Pseudochromis andamanensis Lubbock 1980

Other Names: Andaman Dottyback

Sunset Dottyback, Pseudochromis andamanensis. Source: Rick Winterbottom / FishWise Professional. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:

A secretive dottyback with a bright yellow to orange basal stripe or series of spots.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2018, Pseudochromis andamanensis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 08 Sep 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/3464

Sunset Dottyback, Pseudochromis andamanensis Lubbock 1980

More Info

Distribution	Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island in the Timor Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the Eastern Indian Ocean: eastern Andaman Sea and Indonesia. Inhabits coastal, lagoon and exposed seaward reefs, sheltering amongst coral.
Features	Dorsal fin III, 22-25; Anal fin III, 13-15; Pectoral fin 17-19; Caudal fin (principal rays) 17Circumpeduncular scales 16. Second anal-fin spine much stouter than third spine.
Colour	Head greenish to orange yellow, becoming greyish ventrally; upper half of flanks on anterior half of body greenish to orange yellow (each scale with dark margin), remainder of body greenish to pinkish grey becoming steel-blue posteriorly; posterior and ventral margin of orbit with a thin orange line bordered with a narrow dark line; pectoral fin base bright orange. Iris light brown with two horizontal blue lines, one above and one below pupil, lines joined posteriorly. Dorsal fin with a bright orange basal stripe, remainder pinkish greyish hyaline with faint horizontal to oblique wavy reddish lines and blue distal margin; anal fin grey with about five horizontal rows of red spots and bluish distal margin; caudal fin hyaline near dorsal and ventral margins, otherwise steel blue with small red spots, becoming faintly reddish on posterior margin; pectoral fins pinkish hyaline; pelvic fins pinkish hyaline with dark grey spine and red lines between rays.
Biology	Dottybacks are protogynous hermaphrodites, and form small harems with a dominant male and several females.
Etymology	The species is named andamanensis for the type locality: Andamen Sea.
Species Citation	Pseudochromis andamanensis Lubbock 1980, Revue Suisse de Zoologie 87(3): 821, fig. 1. Type locality: Campbell Bay, Similan Island, Andaman Sea.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2018
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Sunset Dottyback, Pseudochromis andamanensis Lubbock 1980

References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Gill, A.C. 2004. Revision of the Indo-Pacific dottyback fish subfamily Pseudochrominae (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae). Smithiana, Publication in Aquatic Biodiversity, Monographs 1: 1-213

Kuiter, R.H. & Tonozuka, T. 2001. Indonesian Reef Fishes. Part 1. Eels- Snappers, Muraenidae - Lutjanidae. Australia : Zoonetics pp. 1-302.

Lubbock, R. 1980. Five new basslets of the genus Pseudochromis (Teleostei : Pseudochromidae) from the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 87(3): 821-834 See ref at BHL