Orangehead Anthias

Pseudanthias heemstrai, commonly referred to as the orange-headed anthias, Heemstra's anthias, or redhead anthias, represents a distinct species of marine ray-finned fish within the genus Pseudanthias, under the subfamily Anthiinae of the family Serranidae, which includes groupers and sea basses. This species is endemic to the 🌊 Red Sea and occasionally appears in the aquarium trade. It can reach a maximum length of 13 cm (5 inches).

This species was named in tribute to ichthyologist Phillip C. Heemstra of the 🇿🇦 South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, in acknowledgment of his significant contributions to the study of anthiine fishes.

Pseudanthias heemstrai exhibits the characteristic elongated body shape of the anthias, with the body being nearly three times longer than deep. The species features a sizable mouth, with the maxilla extending beyond the midpoint of the eye, and a slightly protruding lower jaw. The dorsal fin consists of 15-17 rays, while the anal fin comprises 7 rays, both of which are pronounced and extend beyond the caudal fin base in both males and females. The caudal fin exhibits a slightly truncate or emarginate margin in females, whereas in males, it appears convex or truncate, with some males displaying lower rays extending beyond the membrane. Males are further distinguished by elongated pelvic fins, with the first two rays being pronounced and potentially extending beyond the base of the anal fin.

The male Pseudanthias heemstrai typically has a reddish hue above, with each scale showcasing a yellow spot and a red edge. The head's sides are dull orange, evolving into a reddish pink towards the top, while the gill cover exhibits a golden color. The lower head and body regions are pale pink, accented by a scarlet streak along the throat's center. The anal and pelvic fins are pale bluish-grey, adorned with irregular yellow spots, while the caudal fin is dark red with a yellow or light blue-grey rear margin. During breeding, males intensify the pinkish-red scale margins on their flanks to scarlet, with the yellow spots becoming darker. An irregular, diffuse mid-lateral white band emerges, extending from behind the gill cover to the tail, forming a prominent white oval spot on the caudal peduncle's upper region. This white band is also observed in territorial males. A pale orange band extends from the upper mandible's end to the dorsal fin's origin, intensifying to dark orange-red in breeding males. Observed from above, this band merges with the folded dorsal fin to create an extended red band along the back. The caudal fin’s rear margin transitions from whitish or yellow to bright red. Female Pseudanthias heemstrai display a yellow posterior body with lavender scales, each featuring a central yellow spot. The lower body half is pale purple to white, marked by a red streak along the throat's center. The pectoral and pelvic fins are pinkish-blue, while the remaining fins are yellow.

Pseudanthias heemstrai is found exclusively in the 🌊 Red Sea, with recorded sightings in the Gulf of Aqaba, approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) north of Dahab, and along the 🇾🇪 Yemen coast of the 🌊 Red Sea.

In its natural habitat, this species inhabits fore-reef slopes, forming small, loose aggregations. Typically, it is distributed at depths of 15–60 meters (50–200 feet) and feeds primarily on zooplankton.

In aquaria, Pseudanthias heemstrai thrive in environments featuring rocky caves and robust water movement, with ample open space for schooling, which generally occurs in the tank's upper third. Suitable tank mates should be peaceful and should be introduced after this species. Their diet can consist of various standard aquarium foods, including finely chopped frozen or fresh meaty foods such as mysis, fish flesh, shrimp, squid, and clams, provided at least twice daily. Food should be released upstream, allowing water currents to carry it to their vicinity. In cases where feeding proves challenging, fortified live adult brine shrimp may be necessary until the fish acclimates to other types of aquarium foods, such as fresh marine fish and invertebrate flesh.