Marine Life

Comet

Dhunthari mas

Calloplesiops altivelis

Calloplesiops altivelis is fairly common on protected coral reefs in the Maldives, but its secretive habits mean it is rarely seen by divers. When threatened, it may present its tail to the intruder, displaying the prominent posterior eyespot, which some believe is a mimicry of the Spotted moray eel.

Details

§ 01

size: Max. 16 cm
color: Black with small round bluish-white spots on head and body (one per scale), and scaled basal parts of fins. A prominent ocellus at the base of last dorsal rays.
order: Perciformes
family: Plesiopidae
image url: https://assets.explore.mv/fishes/calloplesiops-altivelis.png
habitat and biology: This species is known to be quite secretive, inhabiting caves and crevices on the reef slope.
distinctive characters: The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 8-9 rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 9 rays, the pectoral rays are 18-19, the body depth is 2.5 to 2.7 times the standard length, the spinous membranes of the dorsal fin are not incised, and both the dorsal and anal fins are somewhat elevated with a long and pointed caudal fin.