Corniger spinosus

Corniger spinosus
Spinycheek Soldierfish – Corniger spinosus
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
HolocentridaeCorniger spinosusAgassiz1831Spinycheek Soldierfish

Corniger spinosus

Unique Characters: Preopercle crescentric, with 1 or 2 strong spines. 10 or 11 spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin and always 1 spine in posterior portion. Anal-fin rays more than 10. Eleven spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin, 1 in posterior portion. First gill arch with 7-7 gill rakers on lower limb (including 1 at angle), total gill rakers 18-27. No dark bar from upper gill opening to pectoral-fin axil. Long spines present on suborbital bones. Premaxillary groove not broadly V-shaped. Body bright red, no white bands in life.

Similar Species:

Blackbar Squirrelfish
Myripristis jacobus

Bigeye Soldierfish
Ostichthys trachypoma

Myripristis jacobus
Blackbar Soldierfish – Myripristis jacobus
Ostichthys trachypoma-Bigeye Soldierfish
Ostichthys trachypoma-Bigeye Soldierfish Photo Credit: Scott Van Sant

Blackbar Squirrelfish Myripristis jacobus. Preopercle crescentric, usually without a single spine. 10 or 11 spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin and always 1 spine in posterior portion; anal-fin rays more than 10. Ten spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin, 1 in posterior portion. First gill arch with 20-22 gill rakers on lower limb (including 1 at angle), total gill rakers 27-32. A dark bar from upper edge of gill opening to pectoral-fin axil.

Ostichthys trachypoma. Preopercle crescentric, usually without a single spine. 10 or 11 spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin and always 1 spine in posterior portion; anal-fin rays more than 10. Eleven spines in anterior portion of dorsal fin, 1 in posterior portion. First gill arch with 7-7 gill rakers on lower limb (including 1 at angle), total gill rakers 18-27. No dark bar from upper gill opening to pectoral-fin axil. No spines on suborbital bones. Premaxillary groove broadly V-shaped. Body with alternating broad red and white bands running length of body in life.

Gallery