Info
The English name “Blacktail dottyback” can be translated as “black-tailed dwarf perch”, we take the opportunity here to point out that the photo by Dr. Richard Winterbottom shows a female with the yellow tail typical of female dwarf perch of this species.
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide a photo of a male.
Pseudochromis melanurusb is only found in a few areas of the South Pacific, where tide pools and rock and coral reefs, often in areas with high waves, are among its preferred habitats.
The IUCN Red List classifies this dwarf perch as “Least Concern”, i.e. threatened, so it is all the more surprising that, in addition to the lack of species photos, virtually nothing is known about the perch, not even its diet.
Description of the color of a live female (based on a photo of a paratype from Great Astrolabe Reef, Fiji; Plate 9F):
Head and body of females are dark grayish brown, lighter ventrally, yellowish brown on caudal peduncle.
The ventral part of the orbital margin is pale bluish gray, the iris grayish yellow, merging into orange ventrally, with a dark blue suboval ring around the pupil.
Dorsal and anal fins are dark gray basally, grayish hyaline and yellowish brown distally, with one or two dark gray oblique stripes through the middle part of the fin. The caudal style of the caudal fin is yellowish brown, the remaining part of the fin is light yellow, pectoral and pelvic fins are brownish hyaline.
Description of the color of a living male The males (based on a photograph of a paratype from Eua, Tonga; Plate 9G):
The dorsal contour of the head and body above the horizontal part of the anterior lateral line is dark gray to black, the rest of the head is yellowish brown.
The iris is yellowish brown, with a blue suboval ring around the pupil.
The breast and abdomen are yellowish brown below the anterior lateral line, dark gray to black above the anal fin and on the caudal peduncle.
The dorsal fin is dark gray to black, its distal edge grayish hyaline.
The anal fin is dark, the anal fin dark gray to black, grayish hyaline distally.
The color of the caudal fin is dark gray to black, its upper and lower edges are pale gray to grayish hyaline.
The pectoral fins are brownish hyaline and the pelvic fins are yellowish brown.
Etymology:
The species name “melanurus” comes from the Greek, where “melas” means black and “oura” means tail, which refers to the distinctive male coloration.
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to provide a photo of a male.
Pseudochromis melanurusb is only found in a few areas of the South Pacific, where tide pools and rock and coral reefs, often in areas with high waves, are among its preferred habitats.
The IUCN Red List classifies this dwarf perch as “Least Concern”, i.e. threatened, so it is all the more surprising that, in addition to the lack of species photos, virtually nothing is known about the perch, not even its diet.
Description of the color of a live female (based on a photo of a paratype from Great Astrolabe Reef, Fiji; Plate 9F):
Head and body of females are dark grayish brown, lighter ventrally, yellowish brown on caudal peduncle.
The ventral part of the orbital margin is pale bluish gray, the iris grayish yellow, merging into orange ventrally, with a dark blue suboval ring around the pupil.
Dorsal and anal fins are dark gray basally, grayish hyaline and yellowish brown distally, with one or two dark gray oblique stripes through the middle part of the fin. The caudal style of the caudal fin is yellowish brown, the remaining part of the fin is light yellow, pectoral and pelvic fins are brownish hyaline.
Description of the color of a living male The males (based on a photograph of a paratype from Eua, Tonga; Plate 9G):
The dorsal contour of the head and body above the horizontal part of the anterior lateral line is dark gray to black, the rest of the head is yellowish brown.
The iris is yellowish brown, with a blue suboval ring around the pupil.
The breast and abdomen are yellowish brown below the anterior lateral line, dark gray to black above the anal fin and on the caudal peduncle.
The dorsal fin is dark gray to black, its distal edge grayish hyaline.
The anal fin is dark, the anal fin dark gray to black, grayish hyaline distally.
The color of the caudal fin is dark gray to black, its upper and lower edges are pale gray to grayish hyaline.
The pectoral fins are brownish hyaline and the pelvic fins are yellowish brown.
Etymology:
The species name “melanurus” comes from the Greek, where “melas” means black and “oura” means tail, which refers to the distinctive male coloration.