Bluestripe Squirrelfish, Sargocentron tiere (Cuvier 1829)


Other Names: Ruby Squirrelfish, Tahitian Squirrelfish

A Bluestripe Squirrelfish, Sargocentron tiere, at Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii. Source: David R / iNaturalist. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

Summary:
A red squirrelfish with iridescent blue stripes along sides, especially lower sides, spinous dorsal fin red with white tips and a white blotch in the middle of each fin membrane, and white leading edges on pelvic and anal-fin spines.
The large spine on the cheek is mildly venomous.

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Sargocentron tiere in Fishes of Australia, accessed 08 Dec 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3158

Bluestripe Squirrelfish, Sargocentron tiere (Cuvier 1829)

More Info


Distribution

Known in Australia from Rowley Shoals and Muiron Islands, WA, to the northern Great Barrier Reef, QLD; also in the Coral Sea and at Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. Found elsewhere in the tropical, East-Indo west-central Pacific. Inhabits coastal and offshore reef slopes and exposed reef margins, hiding in holes, caves and crevices during the day.

Features

Meristic features: Dorsal fin XI, 13-15; Anal fin IV, 9-10 (usually 9); Pectoral fin 13-15; Gill rakers 7-9+ 13-16; Lateral line scales 45-52; Scale rows above lateral line 2.5; Scale rows on cheek 5. 

Five oblique scale rows on cheek; body depth 2.6-2.95 in SL; head length (HL) 2.6-2.9 in SL; snout often shorter than orbit diameter, its length 3.6-3.9 in HL; interorbital width 5.05-5.85 in HL; maxilla extending posteriorly from center of eye to below rear edge of the pupil, upper jaw length 2.2-2.3 in HL; premaxillary groove usually reaching to a vertical at front edge of the orbit; anterior end of nasal bone with 2 short diverging spines; medial margin of nasal bone spineless; large nasal fossa without spinules on margin; slight ridge along the upper edge of suborbital bones with low recumbent spinules in young, becoming smooth in adults, at least below the anterior half of orbit; opercle with 2 large subequal opercular spines; preopercular spine, 3.6-5.2 in HL; short dorsal spines, 3rd to 5th subequal, 4th dorsal spine usually longest, 2.6-3.5 in HL; 3rd anal spine 1.5-2.3 in HL

Colour

Body red with silvery red stripes overlaid with blue iridescence; spinous portion of dorsal fin red with white-tipped spines and a white blotch in the middle of each membrane; leading edges of pelvic and anal-fin spines white.

Feeding

Feeds at night on crustaceans, crustacean larvae, polychaete worms, and small fishes.

Species Citation

Holocentrum tiere Cuvier, 1829, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons 3: 202. Type locality: Matavai barrier reef, Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia.

Author

Dianne J. Bray

Bluestripe Squirrelfish, Sargocentron tiere (Cuvier 1829)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

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

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.

Allen, G.R. & Steene, R.C. 1979. The Fishes of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Aust. Natl. Parks Wldlf. Ser. Spec. Publ. 2. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service 81 pp. 15 pls.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1829. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 3 500 pp., pls 41-71.

Randall, J.E. 1998. Revision of the Indo-Pacific squirrelfishes (Beryciformes: Holocentridae: Holocentrinae) of the genus Sargocentron, with descriptions of four new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 27: 1-105 pls 1-11

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press 707 pp.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E. & Greenfield, D.W. 1999. Family Holocentridae. pp. 2225-2256 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 2069-2790 pp.

Shimizu, T. & T. Yamakawa. 1979. Review of the squirrelfishes (Subfamily Holocentrinae: Order Beryciformes) of Japan, with a description of a new species. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 26(2): 109-147.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37261030

Behaviour:Nocturnal

Danger:Venomous cheek spine

Depth:1-183 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:33 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map