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 edges of its fins, including the tail, are white

The soldierfish is a medium-sized species, averaging around 15 centimeters in length.

The blackbar soldierfish is found in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

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.

The blackbar soldierfish mainly hunts at night, moving very little during the day, when it takes shelter under rocky overhangs and crevices.

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 !