Longjaw squirrelfish
Holocentrus ascensionis
(Osbeck, 1765)
Description:
Body reddish with light silvery stripes and occasional white patches, with large 'squirrel-like' eyes. Dorsal fin with a yellowish front. Rear of dorsal fin and upper lobe of the tail strongly elongated.
With a size up to 61 cm, this is the largest squirrelfish.
Juveniles are thin, silvery pelagics and seldom seen.
Habitat:
Nocturnally active and drift inconspicuously in shaded areas near the bottom during day. Most abundant on shallow patch reefs and wall tops, down to 180 m.
Distribution:
Common Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.