Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ovalentaria/misc (Various families in series Ovalentaria) >
Pseudochromidae (Dottybacks) > Pseudochrominae
Etymology: Pseudochromis: Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335); melanurus: Name from Greek melas for black and oura for tail, referring to the distinct male coloration.
More on author: Gill.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 10 m (Ref. 81967). Tropical
Western Pacific: Fiji and Tonga.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 81967)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21 - 22; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12 - 14; Vertebrae: 26 - 27. This species distinguished by the following characters: 21-22 (rarely 21) segmented dorsal-fin rays; 12-14 (rarely 12 or 14) segmented anal fin rays; weakly pungent to flexible anal spines, the second one varying from about as stout to less stout than the third; 29-35 (usually 30-33) scales in lateral series; 23-28 (usually 24-27) anterior lateral line scales; 10-12 scales below anterior lateral line; males with distinct coloration, head and body dark grey to black (dark brown to black when preserved), the lower part of head and body in front to anal-fin origin yellowish brown (when preserved pale brown to brown) (Ref. 81967).
Known from tidal pools and rock and coral reefs, common in high surge areas (Ref. 81967).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gill, A.C., 2004. Revision of the Indo-Pacific dottyback fish subfamily Pseudochrominae (Perciformes: Pseudochromidae). Smith. Monogr. (1):1-213. (Ref. 81967)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.9 - 27.8, mean 26.7 °C (based on 162 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00501 (0.00193 - 0.01299), b=3.10 (2.88 - 3.32), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).