Coralliozetus cardonae

Species infomation

Distinctive features:

1. Red iris with broken blue lines.
2. Males with blue-bordered white stripe under eye.
3. Males with blue spots.
4. Females greenish.

Physical description:

Simple eye and nasal cirri. Two cirri over each eye, one long and the other much shorter.

Colouration:

Iris red with broke blue lines. Body and cirri translucent.
Males: dark-blue/black head and can have red. Thick white striped which is bordered by blye leads from eye to lower head. Heavy white spotting on head which leads into the translucent body. Brown vertebral column with white dashes. Front of dorsal fin a semi-translucent orange.
Females: greenish with a white throat and behind the head to the base of the pectoral fin. Lips and snout translucent. Faint brown or green line in the vertebral column with white dashes. Front of dorsal fin with white.
Juveniles: brown/red head with a translucent lower head and lips. Faint white/blue spots on heads. A few blue lines leading from eye to lower head. Brown/red vertebral column with white dashes.

Size:

Reaches 2.5 cm.

Habitat:

Found in empty barnacles and other holes in shallow areas - often with surge.