| Family: |
Microdesmidae (Wormfishes), subfamily: Ptereleotrinae |
| Max. size: |
24 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 15 - 40 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: eastern Sumatra and Gulf of Thailand to Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby region) and Australia (Low Isles, Queensland), northward to southern China and Ryukyu Islands. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 6-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30-30; Anal spines: 1-1; Anal soft rays: 29-29. Description: Characterized by generally pale blue grey, sometimes with faint blue diagonal bands; head with widely scattered blue markings; dusky grey lower body merging with blackish lower tail; numerous scales, at least 105 in longitudinal scale series; smoothly rounded head profile without concavity in front of eyes; moderately elevated spinous dorsal fin, shorter than greatest body depth; depth of body 4.3-4.7 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits deep mud slopes subject to strong currents, usually in excess of 15 meters depth. Adults are solitary or in pairs while juveniles form small groups that resemble Ptereleotris when small (Ref. 48637). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 May 2022 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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