Teleostei (teleosts) >
Holocentriformes (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes) >
Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes) > Holocentrinae
Etymology: Neoniphon: Greek, neos = new + Greek, niphon = to snow (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 30 - 188 m (Ref. 89972), usually 40 - 70 m (Ref. 4201). Tropical; 32°N - 24°S
Indo-Pacific: Mauritius, Reunion, and the Comoros to the Hawaiian and Marquesan islands, north to southern Japan, sourth to the Great Barrier Reef (Ref. 37816).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Only species of Neoniphon that has yellow body stripes, 3.5 instead of 2.5 scale rows above the lateral line, and a last dorsal spine that is shorter than the second to the last one.
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
Benthopelagic in or near crevices or caves at 30-188 m (Ref. 58302); collected from 100-190 m (Ref, 117152). Confined to outer reef slopes (Ref. 1602). Rarely occurring in less than 40 m depth, in current prone areas (Ref. 48635). Solitary or in small groups (Ref 90102). Feeds on crustaceans (Ref. 89972).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Randall, J.E. and C. Heemstra, 1985. A review of the squirrelfishes of the subfamily Holocentrinae from the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. Ichthyol. Bull. J.L.B. Smith Inst. Ichthyol. (49):1-29. (Ref. 7459)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources