Ostichthys kaianus (Günther, 1880)
Deepwater soldierfish
Ostichthys kaianus
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes), subfamily: Myripristinae
Max. size:  36 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathydemersal; marine; depth range 180 - 640 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Réunion to western Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, north to the South China Sea and Ryukyu Islands of Japan, east to Samoa.
Diagnosis:  This species is distinguished by the following characters: 2½ scales above lateral line to midbase of spinous portion of dorsal fin; anal fin origin beneath spinous portion of dorsal fin; upper procurrent spiniform caudal-fin rays 4 and lower 3; no half scale anterior to the first lateral-line scale; pectoral-fin rays 15-17 (usually 16); lateral-line scales 28-30 (usually 28, rarely 30); dorsal profile of head slightly convex; gill rakers 7-9 + 14-16; the last dorsal-fin spine is about equal in length to penultimate spine; space between last dorsal-fin spine and first dorsal-fin ray about half as broad as space between last two dorsal-fin spines; depth of body 2.05-2.2 in SL; head length 2.15-2.4 in SL; snout short, 4.2-4.9 in HL; least depth of caudal peduncle 3.8-4.6 in HL; colour when fresh is reddish with a series of relatively narrow silvery white dashes (middle of each scale has a horizontal streak nearly full-width of scale), forming whitish stripes on body (Ref. 114923).
Biology:  Seen in coelacanth caves at 182 and 192 m (Ref. 58472).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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