Description

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21 - 23; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 15 - 16; Vertebrae: 24. Small juvenile bright blue (Ref. 48635). Preopercular serrae 30-57.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Eupercaria/misc

Family: Malacanthidae

Genus: Hoplolatilus

Species: Hoplolatilus starcki Randall & Dooley, 1974

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Inhabits patches of talus or rubble of steep outer reef slopes. Usually seen in pairs that quickly dive headfirst into their burrow when disturbed. Juveniles occasionally school with similarly colored juveniles of Pseudanthias pascalus. Stomach contents of 6 adult specimens consisted of copepods (31.4% by volume), pelagic tunicates (31%, larvaceans, plus Oikopleura), fish eggs (28.6%), siphonophores (5.5%), larval shrimps (1.2%), fish (0.8%), amphipods (0.7%), unidentified decapod larvae (0.5%), and heteropods (0.3) (Ref. 8991). Minimum depth reported from Ref. 27115.

Habitat

associated