Arc-eye hawkfish
Paracirrhites arcatus
Redspotted Hawkfish
Amblycirrhitus pinos
About
The redspotted hawkfish is a small, well-camouflaged reef fish that perches motionless on rocks and rubble, waiting to ambush passing prey.
How to tell it apart
Many small reef fish perch on rocks in a similar way, but few show red spots this dense. Look for the concentration of red spots on the head, paired with the dark patch at the base of the tail.
Appearance
It has an oval, slightly flattened body with a short, pointed snout. The background colour is whitish, crossed by several brown vertical bands on the back and sides, with a dark patch at the base of the tail. Numerous red spots cover the head and spread onto the body just behind it. Small tufts of hair-like cirri sit on the tips of the dorsal fin spines.
Habitat
It lives on tropical reefs in the western Atlantic, favouring rocky ground and rubble, where it shelters in crevices, small caves, and the openings of tube sponges.
Behaviour
This fish rests on the seabed and braces itself against the current with its pectoral fins, much like a bird perching. It hunts by sight, staying still and ambushing small crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, as well as worms, as they pass by.
Did you know?
It often shelters inside the hollow tube of a sponge, using the sponge's own cavity as a hiding place.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
