Arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus)

General data
- Main name: Arc-eye hawkfish
- Local names: Ringeye hawkfish, Horseshoe hawkfish, Whiteline hawkfish
- Climates: Tropical
- Habitat: Saltwater
- Native: Africa, Asia, Australia & Oceania
- Distribution: Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean
Classification
- Genus: Paracirrhites - Paracirrhites
- Family: Cirrhitoidea - Hawkfishes
- Order: Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes
- Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
- Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes
Description
The arc-eye hawkfish has a relatively deep body, the standard length being around 2.7 times its length. It has a smooth upper preopercular margin and a slightly rounded to truncate caudal fin. The dorsal fin contains 10 spines and 11 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6 soft rays, each dorsal fin spine being tipped with a branched cirrus. This species reaches a maximum published total length of 20 cm (7.9 in). This species has a variable background colour on the body, the typical colour being pale pinkish brown. There is a horseshoe-shaped mark to the rear of the eye that consists of three thin lines. The gill cover has three orange bands set in a light blue area. A white to pink stripe is frequently present from around halfway along the flank and running to the rear. The arc-eye hawkfish is widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific.