Pyronotanthias privitera (Randall & Pyle, 2001)
Privitera's fairy basslet
Pyronotanthias privitera
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Anthiadidae (Fairy basslets or Streamer basses)
Max. size:  5.52 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.65 cm SL (female)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range - 116 m
Distribution:  Eastern Central Pacific: Cook Islands.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-15; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7; Vertebrae: 26-26. Elongated body, depth 3.9-4.7 in SL; head length 3.1-3.5 in SL. Orbit papillae present. Supraneural bones 2. Mouth terminal in females, inferior in males as a result of a movable fleshy protuberance at front of upper lip. Third dorsal spine of male elongate, about 1.4 in HL. Caudal fin deeply emarginate to lunate, the caudal concavity 2.15-3.25 in SL. Color when fresh, yellow dorsally with a broad orange band at and below base of soft portion of dorsal fin, bordered ventrally by pale blue; body pink ventrally with irregular yellow stripes on side; dorsal fin yellow with some small pink spots; anal fin greenish yellow with a reticulum of magenta; caudal fin a mixture of pink, magenta, orange, and yellow (Ref. 48242).
Biology:  Collected on a very steep reef with ledges and caves and observed in aggregations within about a meter of the substratum (Ref. 48242). Feeds on zooplanktons (Ref. 89972). FishBase common name coined by authors.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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