Yellowtip Soldierfish

Myripristis xanthacra, the Yellowtip Soldierfish, is a deep-bodied, laterally compressed fish with large eyes and a prominent, slightly oblique mouth. Its body is typically reddish-pink to silvery-red, paling to white ventrally. A key distinguishing feature is the bright yellow tips on the lobes of the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. The spinous dorsal fin has 10 spines, followed by 13-15 soft rays, while the anal fin has 4 spines and 11-13 soft rays. It reaches a maximum length of 25 cm (9.8 in), though individuals are commonly observed between 15 and 20 cm. The scientific name xanthacra is derived from Greek, meaning "yellow-tipped", directly describing this characteristic fin coloration.

This species inhabits reef flats, slopes, and drop-offs, typically found at depths between 5 and 30 m (16-98 ft), often encountered below 18 m (59 ft) in deeper, sheltered areas. During the day, it forms dense aggregations, sheltering in caves, beneath ledges, or within large crevices. It is a nocturnal predator, dispersing at night to feed on zooplankton such as copepods and larval crustaceans, along with small benthic invertebrates. The Yellowtip Soldierfish is endemic to the 🌊 Red Sea and the 🌊 Gulf of Aden, found primarily in the southern half of the 🌊 Red Sea and off 🇩🇯 Djibouti.