Sunburst Dottyback

Distinguished from all other pseudochromines by the following characters: dorsal-fin rays III,26; anal-fin rays III,16; anal-fin spines moderately slender and weakly pungent, the second spine only slightly stouter than the third; lower lip weakly interrupted at symphysis; and circumpeduncular scales 16. It also has a distinctive live coloration: head orange-brown, becoming bright yellow on lower part of operculum; posterior and ventral part of orbital rim bright yellow, edged posteriorly and ventrally by purple-blue arc; scales of cheek indistinctly edged with mauve; body orange-brown, darker on scale-edges, becoming bright yellow on breast and pectoral-fin base, bright red on abdomen and above anterior anal fin, then dark purplish red on caudal peduncle; dorsal fin golden to orange-brown anteriorly, becoming reddish brown posteriorly, with reddish brown distal margin; 1-3 rows of short, dark reddish brown streaks on middle of soft portion of fin; anal fin dark reddish brown, becoming golden brown over spinous portion of fin, with grey distal margin; caudal fin dark reddish grey basally, abruptly greyish hyaline on distal third of fin, with grey distal margin (Ref. 80681).

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 16

Observed on a gradual, current-swept reef slope at depths of 32-45m. The fish were seen solitary under large Xestospongia barrel sponges; other surrounding benthos were primarily gorgonian sea fans and low-growing hard corals and coral rubble. The fish were extremely shy and retiring and disappeared immediately under barrel sponges when approached (Ref. 80681).

Solitary under large Xestospongia barrel sponges on gradual, current-swept reef slopes in 32-45 m, sometimes in pairs (Ref 90102).

Pseudochromis matahari the sunburst dottyback, is a species of ray-finned fish from Indonesia, which is a member of the family Pseudochromidae. This species reaches a length of 4.5 cm (1.8 in).