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Holocentriformes (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes) >
Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes) > Holocentrinae
Etymology: Sargocentron: Greek, sargos = sargus + Greek, kentron = sting (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poey.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9710), usually ? - 22 m (Ref. 3156). Tropical; 33°N - 7°N, 99°W - 58°W
Western Atlantic: Bermuda and Florida, USA to northern South America.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340)
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 8. Body slender, sides compressed. Snout spinules prominent, spine extending into the posterior narial opening. White stripes on upper sides narrow, separated by broader dark bands (Ref. 37108). Body with alternate stripes of red and silvery white; spinous dorsal fin red, white at tips, with a large black spot between the first 3 or 4 spines (Ref. 13442).
Inhabit sandy, rocky and coral bottoms (Ref. 5521). More common on seaward reefs than on protected reefs. Retreat into recesses when alarmed (Ref. 9710). Nocturnal (Ref. 37108). Secretive, found deep in crevices between branches of live corals (Ref. 26938). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 240).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Smith-Vaniz, W.F., B.B. Collette and B.E. Luckhurst, 1999. Fishes of Bermuda: history, zoogeography, annotated checklist, and identification keys. American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 4. 424 p. (Ref. 35505)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.3 - 28.1, mean 27 °C (based on 158 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01479 (0.00929 - 0.02354), b=2.97 (2.84 - 3.10), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 84.1 [33.3, 337.9] mg/100g; Iron = 0.636 [0.249, 1.978] mg/100g; Protein = 18.6 [17.3, 19.7] %; Omega3 = 0.151 [0.065, 0.351] g/100g; Selenium = 31.3 [17.7, 62.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 78.2 [28.3, 219.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 2.29 [0.96, 4.45] mg/100g (wet weight);