Sealife guideThe blackbar soldierfishMyripristis jacobus

Last updated on 06/10/2024 at 11:44 PM
Taxonomy
  • Common name: Blackbar soldierfish
  • French name: Marignan mombin ou poisson soldat à barre noire
  • Spanish name: Candil colorado,soldado raya negra
  • Scientific name: Myripristis jacobus (Cuvier, 1829)
  • Family name: Holocentridae
  • Order name: Holocentriformes
  • Class name: Actinopterygii
Description
The blackbar soldierfish has a predominantly red body with a broad, oblique black bar at the back of its head, making it easy to recognize. The red color lightens on its belly.
The blackbar soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)
The blackbar soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus) ©  | Dreamstime.com
The edges of its fins, including the tail, are white
The soldierfish is a medium-sized species, averaging around 15 centimeters in length.
Geographic range
The blackbar soldierfish is found in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat
The blackbar soldierfish is found in the shallow waters of coral reefs as well as in offshore waters to a depth of around 90 meters.
This species lives mainly in shoals, which can easily number in the hundreds.
Diet
The blackbar soldierfish mainly hunts at night, moving very little during the day, when it takes shelter under rocky overhangs and crevices.
Did you know ?
The blackbar soldierfish is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The blackbar soldierfish appears in the IUCN Red List since 2015 within the category Least Concern !
The blackbar soldierfish lives mainly in shoals whose numbers can easily reach a hundred or so individuals.
The blackbar soldierfish lives mainly in shoals whose numbers can easily reach a hundred or so individuals. ©  | Dreamstime.com
Within the same genus
Pinecone soldierfish (Myripristis murdjan)
Pinecone soldierfish
(Myripristis murdjan)
Scarlet soldierfish (Myripristis pralinia)
Scarlet soldierfish
(Myripristis pralinia)
Shadowfin soldierfish (Myripristis adusta)
Shadowfin soldierfish
(Myripristis adusta)
Within the same family
Blackspot squirrelfish (Sargocentron melanospilos)
Blackspot squirrelfish
(Sargocentron melanospilos)
Clearfin squirrelfish (Neoniphon argenteus)
Clearfin squirrelfish
(Neoniphon argenteus)
Longspine squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus)
Longspine squirrelfish
(Holocentrus rufus)
Redcoat (Sargocentron rubrum)
Redcoat
(Sargocentron rubrum)
Sabre squirrelfish (Sargocentron spiniferum)
Sabre squirrelfish
(Sargocentron spiniferum)
Sammara squirrelfish (Neoniphon sammara)
Sammara squirrelfish
(Neoniphon sammara)
Squirrelfish (Holocentrus adscensionis)
Squirrelfish
(Holocentrus adscensionis)
Violet squirrelfish (Sargocentron violaceum)
Violet squirrelfish
(Sargocentron violaceum)
Discover also
Blackspot razorfish (Iniistius dea)
Blackspot razorfish
(Iniistius dea)
Humpnose bigeye bream (Monotaxis grandoculis)
Humpnose bigeye bream
(Monotaxis grandoculis)
Mosshead warbonnet (Chirolophis nugator)
Mosshead warbonnet
(Chirolophis nugator)
Sand tilefish (Malacanthus plumieri)
Sand tilefish
(Malacanthus plumieri)
Spotted goatfish (Pseudupeneus maculatus)
Spotted goatfish
(Pseudupeneus maculatus)
Tropical flounder (Bothus mancus)
Tropical flounder
(Bothus mancus)
Yellow three-stripe rock-fish (Sebastes trivittatus)
Yellow three-stripe rock-fish
(Sebastes trivittatus)
Yellowline goby (Elacatinus horsti)
Yellowline goby
(Elacatinus horsti)
The marine species from Caribbean sea
Caribbean giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta)
Caribbean giant barrel sponge
(Xestospongia muta)
Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi)
Caribbean reef shark
(Carcharhinus perezi)
Eyed flounder (Bothus ocellatus)
Eyed flounder
(Bothus ocellatus)
Gray angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Gray angelfish
(Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Princess parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus)
Princess parrotfish
(Scarus taeniopterus)
Schoolmaster snapper (Lutjanus apodus)
Schoolmaster snapper
(Lutjanus apodus)
Slender filefish (Monacanthus tuckeri)
Slender filefish
(Monacanthus tuckeri)
Smooth trunkfish (Rhinesomus triqueter)
Smooth trunkfish
(Rhinesomus triqueter)
Dive centers
Centre de plongée des Ilets
'Les Ilets' dive center
Noa Plongée
Noa dive center
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