Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes
(Perch-likes) > Microdesmidae
(Wormfishes) > Ptereleotrinae
Etymology: Ptereleotris: Greek, pteron = wing, fin + The name of a Nile fish, eleotris (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 15 m (Ref. 1602), usually 2 - 15 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 21°C - 27°C (Ref. 27115); 30°N - 30°S
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 14.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)
soft rays: 23 - 26;
Vertebrae: 26. Light bluish gray in life, shading posteriorly to black; snout blackish; operculum with iridescent blue markings. Chin with a low fleshy protuberance, narrowing posteriorly to a low longitudinal fold. Caudal fin lobes blackish to dark reddish, broad centro-posterior region of fin whitish to yellowish; 1st dorsal fin dull orangish; 2nd dorsal and anal fins largely blackish; pectoral base with an orange to orange-red bar edged in blue. Juveniles with an oval black spot larger than eye at lower base of caudal fin.
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa (Ref. 2798) to the Line and Society islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to New South Wales, Lord Howe Island, and Rapa.
Occurs in outer reef slopes, also inhabits lagoons and bays. Usually in pairs as adults and in small aggregations as juveniles, Ref. 48637. Monogamous (Ref. 52884). Feeds on zooplankton while hovering 1 to 2 m above the bottom. Swims away from danger rather than retreat to its burrow.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Randall, J.E. and D.F. Hoese, 1985. Revision of the Indo-Pacific dartfishes, genus Ptereleotris (Perciformes: Gobioidei). Indo-Pac. Fish. (7):36 p. (Ref. 528)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 96402)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Threat to humans
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278
): 3.4 ±0.45 se; Based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 69278
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low vulnerability (10 of 100) .