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  • EnglishName: Crescent-tailbigeye
  • Local Name : Hungumas
  • Size : Max. 35 cm
  • Family: Order : Specimen
  • Distinctive Characters: Dorsal fin with 10 spines and 13-15 rays. Anal fin with 3 spines and 13-16 rays. Pectoral rays 17-20. Body depth 2.5-2.9 in standard length. Well compressed body. Mouth nearly vertical, snout long. Posterior and lower margins of preopercle finely serrated. Caudal fin emarginate.
    Colour: Usually uniform red to deep red with a series of about 15 small dark spots along lateral line. Median and pelvic fins dusky red. A black spot at base of first 3 pelvic rays. Capable of quickly altering to pinkish silver with six red bars on body and one extending ventrally from eyes.
  • Habitat and Biology: Known from the depth range about 15 to at least 250 m. Easily approached underwater. Sometimes seen in small groups. Nocturnal. Feeds primarily on the larger zooplanktons.
  • Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
  • Remarks: Piracanthus hamrur is a common inhabitant of Maldivian reefs. This species is closely related to
    the endemic P. meeki Jenkins of Hawaii and the Atlantic P. arenatus Cuvier.