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Sabre Squirrelfish
Sargocentron spiniferum (Forsskål, 1775)
A Sabre Squirrelfish at a depth of 15 m, Harrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, November 1998. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
A Sabre Squirrelfish at Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, December, 2000. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
The Sabre Squirrelfish is bright red with white scale margins. It has a deep red spinous dorsal fin, and a vertically elongated crimson blotch behind the eye. The dorsal profile of the head is nearly straight, the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw when the mouth is closed and there is a very long preopercular spine.
The Sabre Squirrelfish grows to 45 cm in length. It is the largest of the squirrelfishes. Its common name refers to the very long preopercular spine.
This species lives in caves and crevices on coral reefs. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific.
In Australia it is recorded from north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the southern Great Barrier Reef.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
This species has also been called the Giant Squirrelfish and Spiny Squirrelfish.
Related links
- Giant Squirrelfish fact sheet
- Spotfin Squirrelfish fact sheet
- View the Squirrelfishes list
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
