Scarlet soldierfish
(Myripristis pralinia)
Image source: Mark Rosenstein | inaturalist.org
General data
Myripristis pralinia, the scarlet soldierfish, is a nocturnal species of soldierfish from the genus Myripristis.
It can be found in the Indo-Pacific region, from East Africa to the Marquesas Islands and the Gambier Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to New Caledonia. It can also be found on the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands.
It can be found in small, loose groups in caves or under ledges in reef flats, lagoons and outer reef slopes. It feeds on plankton.
It can grow up to 20 cm TL male.
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15.
Scarlet in color. No pigment on median fins, but may have a small black spot at base of soft dorsal fin and some dusky pigment at leading edges of median fins. Scales are small.
