The Myripristis pralinia can be best identified by its restricted shoulder bar, and its lower jaw may sometimes have teeth that develop into a conspicuous knob.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 20 cm
color
Head, body and fins scarlet. Upper part of opercular membrane black. Black blotch on pectoral axil. No black pigment on median fins.
This species is typically found on coral reefs, usually at depths of less than 10 m, and is active during the night.
distinctive characters
The dorsal fin has 10 spines followed by one spine and 14-16 rays, the anal fin has 4 spines and 13-15 rays, and the pectoral fin has 15 rays. The body is oblong and there are no scales on the inner pectoral axil. The fourth anal spine is slightly longer than the third, and there is a single pair of tooth patches at the symphysis of the lower jaw just outside the mouth, with the front of the lower jaw fitting into a shallow notch in the upper jaw.