Cirrhitus pinnulatus, like other hawkfishes, is a lie-and-wait predator that perches on towering blocks of coral or on the walls of surge channels, motionless in wait for its prey.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 28 cm
color
Body brown to olive, shading to white ventrally, with scattered large white and dark brown spots; small reddish spots on head.
This species inhabits reefs and rocky seabeds that are exposed to strong currents, and primarily feeds on crabs, as well as other crustaceans and fish.
distinctive characters
This fish has a dorsal fin with 10 spines and 11 rays, an anal fin with 3 spines and 6 rays, and a pectoral fin with 14 rays. Its body is robust and has a depth of 2.6-3.0 inches in standard length. The pectoral fin is short and does not reach the tips of the pelvic fins, and there is a tuft of cirri near the tip of each dorsal spine.