Home · Holocentridae · Deepwater squirrelfish
Deepwater squirrelfish (Sargocentron bullisi) — Holocentridae

Deepwater squirrelfish

Sargocentron bullisi
Family: Holocentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Deepwater squirrelfish (Sargocentron bullisi) is a saltwater fish of the family Holocentridae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
33.0–110.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The deepwater squirrelfish is a squirrelfish (Holocentridae) from the western Atlantic Ocean. The species has a red-and-silver striped body with large eyes, adapted to a nocturnal life, and a sharp spine on the gill cover. It lives in deeper waters and adults are found at 33 to 110 metres depth. At night it hunts small crustaceans and other invertebrates. The gill-cover spine is venomous and a sting is painful.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Deepwater squirrelfish?

The Deepwater squirrelfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Deepwater squirrelfish live?

The Deepwater squirrelfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Deepwater squirrelfish get?

The Deepwater squirrelfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm. On average the species is around 13 cm.

Is the Deepwater squirrelfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Deepwater squirrelfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Deepwater squirrelfish edible?

The Deepwater squirrelfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Diepwater-eekhoornvis sourced
English name
Deepwater squirrelfish verified
Scientific name
Sargocentron bullisi
Family
Holocentridae
Other names
Deepwater squirrelfish; Deepwater Squirrelfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Average length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
33.0 verified
Max depth (m)
110.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Sargocentron

More from the family Holocentridae

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