Slope soapfish

📖 Overview

Inhabits clear tropical, mean maximum depth of collected specimens was 17 m, only 6 specimens were collected at depths less than 5 m. This species lives among coral or rocks on steep slopes, vertical walls, or in other areas with large vertical relief, however, a few specimens have been taken among coral heads in shallow flat areas .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 26; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 13 - 15. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following unique set of characters: pectoral fin and distal portions of soft dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are pale yellow to yellow in life, pale in preservative; numerous dark spots on head and trunk, size of spots variable but those on head posterior to horizontal through center of orbit almost always smaller than pupil; interorbital region usually with 2 dark spots at posterior end, spots set slightly apart from orbital rim; belly with dark spots; caudal fin and sometimes soft dorsal and anal fins often with at least a few, sometimes tiny, dark spots; dorsal-fin spines 3 or 4 (almost always 4); total dorsal-fin elements modally 25; pectoral-fin rays modally 15; total caudal-fin rays modally 23; lower jaw extending anteriorly beyond upper jaw, mean difference between distance from tip of lower jaw to orbit and tip of upper jaw to orbit 5% head length (HL); relatively narrow caudal peduncle, average depth 11% SL .

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Slope soapfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Slope soapfish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Slope soapfish is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 40 m , usually 6 - 30 m . Tropical Central Atlantic: Caribbean.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

👥 Community & Contribute