Spiny Squirrelfish

Body light red to orange-red with narrow darker red stripes separating scale rows; white streak on head absent (except beneath maxilla); 4-5 oblique scale rows on cheek; body depth 2.65-2.95 in SL; head length (HL) 2.55-2.8 in SL; snout length 3.8-4.15 in HL; interorbital width 5.25-6.35 in HL; dorsal head profile slightly convex; maxilla extending to between verticals at front edge of iris and center of eye; upper jaw length 2.35-2.6 in HL; rounded anterior end of nasal bone; medial margin of nasal bone without retrorse spine; moderately large nasal fossa without spines; upper surface of nasal bone between nasal fossa and premaxillary groove edge with a retrorse spine; 2 opercular spines, with the lower 1/2-3/4 length of the upper; preopercular spine 4.8-6.35 HL; spinules on posterior margin of preopercle 17 (3.3 cm SL specimen), 19 (4.9 cm), 26 (5.3 cm), 30-36 (6.4-8.1 cm); 4th to 6th dorsal spines subequal, the longest, 2.3-2.65 in HL; 3rd anal spine 1.5-1.95 in HL; broadly rounded caudal-fin lobes (Ref. 27370).

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Inhabits shallow coral reefs of the Eastern Indian Oceans (Ref. 9137). A nocturnal species (Ref. 75154).

Nocturnal. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 11897. Solitary and cryptic, found in outer reef slopes of oceanic islands, mainly in the South Pacific (Ref 90102).

Sargocentron lepros, the spiny squirrelfish, is a nocturnal species of squirrelfish belonging to the genus of Sargocentron. It inhabits the outer reef slopes of oceanic islands, mostly in the Southern Pacific Ocean. It is normally found solitary.