Australian Squirrel Fish

Distinctive combination consisting of a silvery-violet sheen, orange tips on the fins, and a dark orange-red opercular bar.Description: Characterized by third and fourth anal spines about equal in length; lower part of axil of pectoral fins with small scales; depth of body 2.3-2.5 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 16; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 12 - 14

Found in inshore waters. Nocturnal species (Ref. 75154).

Occurs in lagoons, channels, and semi-protected seaward reefs rich in corals. Relatively common near arborescent Acropora or layered Porites rus corals. Feeds on plankton such as crab larvae. Marketed fresh (Ref. 3418).

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

廣泛分布於印度-太平洋區之溫熱帶海域， 西起東非到土木土群島， 北至琉球群島， 南至新加勒多尼亞與奧斯垂群島。臺灣分布於東部、北部、南部等海域。

一般以一支釣及延繩釣的方法捕獲。魚肉白，但質地較爛，煮湯時肉易散開且多溶解油質，因此適合抹鹽油煎食用。唯須注意其內臟可能累積熱帶海魚毒。而它的鱗片及棘刺尖利，需小心刺傷。在水族館中也有人看上它鮮紅的體色，將它飼養做為觀賞魚。

體呈橢圓形或卵圓形，中等側扁。頭部具黏液囊，外露骨骼多有脊紋。眼大。口端位，斜裂；下頜骨前端外側有1對頜聯合齒，上頜無容納頜聯合齒的淺缺刻；頜骨、鋤骨及腭骨均有絨毛狀群齒。前鰓蓋骨後下角無強棘；鰓蓋骨及下眼眶骨均有強弱不一的硬棘。體被大型櫛鱗；側線完全，側線鱗數29-29，側線至背鰭硬棘中間點之鱗片數2.5；胸鰭腋部1/3-1/2處具小鱗片。背鰭連續，單一，硬棘部及軟條部間具深凹，具硬棘X-I，軟條14-16。臀鰭有硬棘 IV ，軟條12-14；腹鰭硬棘 I ，軟條 5-8 (通常為7) ；尾鰭深叉形。鰓膜至鰓蓋骨棘間有一條深色的橘紅色之帶斑。體背部紅色，腹部則淡紅，並帶有銀色-紫羅蘭色光輝，各鰭橘紅色，鰭末端橘色，腹鰭棘則為白色。各鱗後端具紅黑色緣。

主要棲息在珊瑚礁湖、水道和珊瑚生長茂密的礁岩向海面，深度範圍從水深4-25公尺。在枝狀珊瑚 (/Acropora/) 或層狀珊瑚 (/Porites rus/) 附近經常可以看到紫松毬魚的蹤跡。以螃蟹幼蟲之類的浮游動物為食。

Myripristis violacea is a species of fish in the family Holocentridae found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean

Mypripristis violacea abides in coral - reefs in shallow, protected water of bays and lagoons. It stays in caves or crevices during daytime and searches for food at night. The known depth range for Myripristis violacea is 1-30m.