PLESIOPIDAE


Calloplesiops altivelis, 9.6 cm SL
(photo by Richard Winterbottom)


Calloplesiops altivelis
(Steindachner, 1903)
Comet

D XI, 8-10; A III, 9; P1 17-20; P2 I, 4; LLp 19-20 + 9-10.

Body elongate. Maxilla not covered with scales. Preopercular margin smooth. No teeth on tongue. Membranes between dorsalfin spines weakly incised. Two disjunct lateral lines with tubed scales, one from upper end of opercle to last dorsal-fin ray, the other running midlaterally onto caudal peduncle. Color: head, trunk and fins (except pectoral fins) black with white spots. Posterior rays of dorsal fin with a large black spot bordered by yellow or white. Pectoral fins translucent. Size: maximum length 16 cm SL. Distribution: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, from east coast of Africa east to the Line Islands and the Tuamoto Archipelago, and southern Japan south to Queensland, Australia. Remarks: occurs in shallow reefs down to depth of 45 m. Hiding in reef by day, emerging at dusk.