Fish
Lyretail Anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinnis · also called orange sea perch
Flashing a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail as it darts through a passing cloud of plankton, a lyretail anthias shows off the soft peach-orange colouring typical of a female, one member of a harem led by a single, more vividly coloured dominant male.
Overview
The lyretail anthias, Pseudanthias squamipinnis, is native to ocean and coastal reef habitat across the Indo-Pacific region. Its distinctive lyre-shaped tail, clear colour difference between males and females, and harem-based social structure make it one of the most commonly encountered and visually recognisable anthias species found on Indo-Pacific reefs.
A tail that gave the species its name
The lyretail anthias’s deeply forked tail fin is distinctive enough on its own to set the species apart at a glance, a simple but effective identifying feature amid the many similarly colourful anthias species sharing the same reef.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and common across suitable reef habitat throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Lyretail Anthias: common questions
Why is it called the lyretail anthias?
It carries a distinctively deep, lyre-shaped fork in its tail fin, a feature that gives the species its common name.
How do male and female lyretail anthias differ in appearance?
Females display a soft peach-orange colour, while males transition into a more vividly coloured, often purplish form with an elongated third dorsal fin ray.
Does the lyretail anthias live alone or in groups?
It lives in social groups led by a single dominant male that guards and mates with several females, a harem-based social structure typical of anthias generally.
Where is the lyretail anthias found?
It is native to ocean and coastal reef habitat across the Indo-Pacific region.