Emblemaria hyltoni

Species infomation

Distinctive features:

1. First dorsal spine highly elongated, ~2/3 body length.
2. Females with white vertebral column with red dashes.
3. Males with front of dorsal fin black.

Physical description:

Simple nasal and orbital cirri. Orbital cirri ~2x length of eye diameter. First dorsal spine highly elongated and ~2/3 body length.
Females: shorter orbital cirri.

Colouration:

Cirri white with red stripes.
Females and immature males: front of body cream which turns translucent. Head largely translucent. 2 stripes from eye to lower lip - red on top and fade to yellow. Iris pinisk with red and white stripes. Vertebral column white with red dashes and another thin white line below.. Row of small white dots above and below midflank; separated by thin brown lines. Belly white with large red blotches. Dorsal fin translucent with blue dots on spines. Elongated spine with a black base and tip with horizontal white stripes throughout.
Males: head dark reddish-brown. Continuous brown dots on head and front of body. Orange stripe under eye to lower head. Front of body dark yellow which turns slightly translucent. Orange vertebral column faintly visible. Dorsal fin orange to a dark brown. Elevated dorsal spine black.

Size:

Reaches 2.6 cm.

Habitat:

Found on rock walls with coral and under ledges. Also found on sandy bottoms with rubble.