North Pacific squirrelfish (Sargocentron spinosissimum)

Scientific name: Sargocentron spinosissimum Temminck & Schlegel, 1843

The North Pacific squirrelfish (Sargocentron spinosissimum) is a marine fish of the family Holocentridae. Native range: Northwest Pacific, southern Japan to Taiwan; also reported from Hawaii.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 77; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 4; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Body with 9 red stripes alternating with 9 narrower white stripes that pass along the middle of the longitudinal scale rows; head red with a white bar along the posterior margin of preopercle. Five oblique scale rows on cheek; body depth 2.45-2.75 in SL; head length (HL) 2.5-2.7 in SL; snout length 3.6-4.0 in HL; large eyes, orbit diameter 2.6-3.1; least interorbital width 4.5-5.1 in HL; maxilla extending from a vertical at front edge of the pupil to slightly beyond the center of the eye, upper jaw length 2.45-2.8 in HL; premaxillary groove usually not reaching a vertical at front edge of the orbit; rounded anterior end of nasal bone; moderately large nasal fossa, often spineless (1 specimen with 1 spinule on anterior edge on one side, another with 2 projecting outward); upper surface of nasal bone with 4-16 small retrorse spines between nasal fossa and edge of pr

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Sargocentron spinosissimum
Family: Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes, soldierfishes)
Order: Beryciformes (Sawbellies)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 17.7
Depth range: 120–230 m (394–755 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 120 - 230 m
Climate: Temperate
Distribution: Northwest Pacific: southern Japan to Taiwan; also reported from Hawaii.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026