Emblemaria hypacanthus

Species infomation

Distinctive features:

1. Females with dark rings on front of body.
2. Males with dark-ringed blotch on cheek.
3. Males with black tipped orange cirri.
4. Breeding males pitch black with blue dorsal spines.

Physical description:

Simple nasal and orbital cirri.
Males: orbital cirri longer than eye diameter. Front of dorsal fin elevated with the first 6 spines above membrane. Dorsal membrane between first 5 spines U-shaped, the first one most deeply so.
Females: short orbital cirri. Spiny and soft dorsal similar heights.

Colouration:

Males: tan to a dark brown. Varying number of darker blotches along upper body reaching lower body; separated by pale brown bands. Black blotches along midflank. Iris varies from red to a light orange but always has white stripes. Behind eye white, followed by a dark-ringed brown blotch. Orbital cirri orange with black tips - can appear paler in immature individuals. White throat with black bands. Pelvic fins greenish to bright blue. Dorsal fin light greenish-brown with rows of fuzzy black blotches. Spiny dorsal spines and anal rays blue. Initial spines with orange tips.
Mating males: black wash on head and body. Pelvic fins black. Orbital cirri a deep orange. Front of dorsal fin pure black. Blue spines on dorsal and anal fin more visible, with every over pair of spines separated by orange membrane. Iris red.
Females: body translucent with a white belly. Brown vertebral column with white dashes. Large triangular stripe behind eye to opercle edge. Orbital cirri white. Dark rings on front of body. Lips translucent. Front of dorsal fin pake brown with darker brown horziontal stripes. Can be blotch on the dorsal fin, sometimes resembling ocellus with inside blue.

Size:

Reaches 5.0 cm.

Habitat:

Found in empty holes on sandy bottoms with rubble.