Emblemaria hudsoni

Species infomation

Distinctive features:

1. Males with vertical yellow stripes along body.
2. Males with large green cirri with red tips.
3. Mating males a dark purple.
4. Females with dark rings on white belly and lower head.
5. Females with ocellus between dorsal spines IV-V.

Physical description:

Short and simple nasal cirri. Flattened orbital cirri.
Males: orbital cirri thick and 3x length of eye diameter. Elevated spiny dorsal fin, up to ~2x height of soft dorsal.

Colouration:

Red bands on lips. Iris dark green with red stripes.
Males: red to a ruddy-brown. ~10 yellow stripes from upper body down past midflank. Stripes separated on midflank by black blotches. Cheek with yellow stripes. Orbital cirri greenish-yellow with 2 red stripes and a red tip.
Mating males: dark purple wash on body, top of head, dorsal fin and pelvic fin.
Females: dark brown with white belly and lower head. ~8 faint 'blotches' bordered by white stripes. Between blotches and head with white dots. Belly and lower head with dark brown rings. Front of dorsal fin pale between spines I-VI. Dark ocellus with a blue inside between spines IV-V. First dorsal spine dark brown with white stripes.

Size:

Reaches 8.4 cm.

Habitat:

Found on sandy bottoms with rubble.