Sargocentron caudimaculatum, commonly known as the silverspot squirrelfish or whitetail squirrelfish, is a reef-associated species within the Holocentridae family. This species is indigenous to the 🇮🇳 Indian and 🌊 Pacific Oceans, with a geographical range extending from East Africa to 🇯🇵 Japan and northern 🇦🇺 Australia, reaching as far east as the 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands. Typically inhabiting reef environments, Sargocentron caudimaculatum is also found in lagoons and drop-off zones, occupying depths from 2 to 40 meters (6.6 to 131.2 feet). As a nocturnal predator, its diet primarily consists of crabs and shrimps. The species can attain a total length of up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches). Despite being subject to commercial fishing and appearing in the aquarium trade, Sargocentron caudimaculatum currently faces no significant threats to its population.
Why it's threatened
This species is harvested throughout its range and found in the aquarium trade, but this is not considered to be a major threat.
Threat classification from the IUCN Red List.
