Emblemaria australis

Species infomation

Distinctive features:

1. Pairs of stripes leading from eye to lower jaw.
2. First dorsal spine with a red blotch.

Physical description:

Orbital cirri around length of eye diameter and has nubs protruding from the top.
Females: shorter orbital cirri.
Males: Spiny dorsal elevated - ~2x height of soft dorsal. First dorsal spine elevated, up to ~2x the height of the next.

Colouration:

Males: pale yellow body with a darker brown head. 8 bars along body which gradually fade and become shorter - first half reach midflank. Multiple pairs of stripes lead from the bottom of the end to the lower jaw. Orbital cirri is striped. Dorsal fin dark brown at front fading into a brownish-yellow posteriorly with dots of white throughout. First dorsal spine with multiple botches, a large red one on the bottom, followed by a series of white and then black ones above. Pelvic fins a dark yellow.

Size:

Reaches 3.1 cm.

Habitat:

Found in sandy bottoms with rubble around reefs.

Notes:

Thought to be endemic to the Northeastern Brazilian continental shelf.