Species infomation
Distinctive features:
- No orbital cirri.
- Breeding males often with blue spots on rear head.
- Breeding males with black head, front of body and dorsal fin.
Physical description:
Simple nasal cirri. No orbital cirri. First 2 dorsal spines slightly elevated.
Colouration:
Females: large transparent. Brown upper head with pink/blue cranial pattern which varies but resembles a V with spots around. Reddish vertebral column with white dashes. First few spines with white membrane.
Immature males: darker heads with white spots on rear head. Largely transparent. Vetebral column black with white dashes. Black belly with white blotches.
Breeding males: black head and front of body. Rear head and front body often with white/blue spots. Front of dorsal fin black with white upper edge. Iris pinkish to black.
Size:
Reaches 3.0 cm.
Habitat:
Found on massive corals. Breeding males in holes.
Species images and information
E. diaphana has no orbital cirri. E. ruetzleri has no pink and is instead largely brown with some blue spots while E. diaphana is largely a pinkish hue or can be black.