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Trichonotus elegans Shimada & Yoshino, 1984 Long-rayed sand-diver |
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photo by
Hazes, B. |
| Family: | Trichonotidae (Sanddivers) | |||
| Max. size: | 18 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 40 m | |||
| Distribution: | Indo-West Pacific: Maldive Islands to Micronesia and Fiji, north to Ryukyu Islands. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43-45; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 39-42. Identified by the long filaments on the dorsal fin of the male (Ref. 48636). Body scaleless above and below lateral line on anterior half (Ref 12934). | |||
| Biology: | Found in coastal reef slopes and deep outer reef lagoons in current channels. Usually in large groups with several large males (Ref. 48636). Inhabits sand-rubble bottoms (Ref. 90102). Found hovering above sandy slopes. Usually forms a harem of one male-phase fish and about a dozen female-phase fish (Ref. 37240). Normally buried when no current is running (Ref. 48636). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 March 2015 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||