Name: Black squirrelfish, blackfin squirrelfish, clearfin squirrelfish
Scientific Name: Neoniphon opercularis (Valenciennes, 1831)
Family: Holocentridae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 26-50 cm.
The black squirrelfish is easily identified by its black dorsal fin, which contrasts with its light-toned body. It also has a large venomous spine next to its head, which should be avoided. This fish lives in clear coastal tropical waters, rich in corals, at depths up to 20 m. Usually it is solitary but it can form small groups, which feed during the night and spend the day hovering, sheltered among corals and rocks. Its large eyes, characteristic of its family, are an important adaptation to this nocturnal life.
Photo by:
d1.dion.ne.jp
Tropical Indian
