About Pseudanthias huchtii (Bleeker, 1857)
Taxonomic Identity
Pseudanthias huchtii (Bleeker, 1857) is a distinctly colored member of the genus Pseudanthias, with a third dorsal fin spine and elongated caudal fin lobes.
Male Coloration
Males have a clear orange stripe running from the eye to the center of the pectoral fin, and a broad maroon band along the forward margin of the pelvic fin.
Female And Juvenile Coloration
Females and juveniles are greenish-yellow in color.
Fin Structure
The dorsal fin holds 10 spines and 17 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays.
Size
The maximum recorded total length for a male is 12 centimetres (4.7 in); females reach half this maximum length.
Distribution Range
This species occurs in the Western Pacific Ocean, ranging from the Maluku Islands and the Philippines east to Vanuatu, and south to the Great Barrier Reef in the Tasman Sea.
Additional Distribution Records
Its distribution also includes Scott Reef and the Ashmore Reefs in the Timor Sea, and extends as far east as Palau in Micronesia.
Habitat
Pseudanthias huchtii forms aggregations at drop-offs around the outer crests of coral reefs.
Reproductive Biology
Like all Pseudanthias species, it is a nonandric protogynous hermaphrodite: all individuals are born female, and the largest, most dominant females change sex to become males.
Social Behavior
Males are territorial and guard a harem of females, and they interact with Pseudanthias squamipinnis.
