MONACANTHIDAE


Acreichthys tomentosus, NSMT-P 65972, 1.4 cm SL

Acreichthys tomentosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Matted leatherjacket

D II - 27 - 29; A 26 - 28; P1 11. Body slightly elongae, strongly compressed. Dorsal profile of head concave. Gill opening short oblique slit below posterior one-third of eye. Dorsal spine above posterior half of eye. Soft part of dorsal fin opposite to anal fin. Pelvic terminus composed of 3 segments of encasing scales and movable dorsoventrally. Color: body mottled brown to yellowish brown with an irregular longitudinal, slightly curved light yellow line on anterior side of body; caudal fin with 2 curved dark bars. Size: maximum 12 cm. Distribution: tropical Indo-West Pacific from west coast of peninsular Malaysia eastward to the Solomon Islands, northward to the Ryukyu Islands. Remarks: occurs in seagrass beds and sandy bottoms.