About Cephalopholis sexmaculata (Rüppell, 1830)
Cephalopholis sexmaculata has a body that is 2.5 to 3 times longer than it is deep when measured using standard length. In larger individuals over 30 centimetres (12 in) long, the dorsal profile of the head above the eyes is concave. Its preopercle is rounded and has fine serrations, which are very small in adult fish. The dorsal fin has 9 spines and 14 to 16 soft rays, while the rounded anal fin has 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded, and the tips of the pelvic fins usually do not reach the anus. There are 49 to 54 scales along the lateral line. The base body color is orange-red, with a sparse scattering of small blue spots that becomes denser on the head and the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Elongated blue spots and bars also appear on the head. The body has 4 faint to distinct dark vertical bars along the flanks; these bars merge on the back with blackish blotches at the base of the dorsal fin that extend onto the fin itself. Two additional smaller dark bars are located on the caudal peduncle. The spaces between these bars are sometimes noticeably paler, and the pectoral fins are orange-red. This species reaches a maximum total length of 50 centimetres (20 in). This species has an Indo-Pacific distribution, ranging from the Red Sea to South Africa eastward to French Polynesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan, and south to northern Australia. It has not been recorded off the Indian subcontinent, in the Gulf of Oman, or in the Persian Gulf. Adult Cephalopholis sexmaculata live on a variety of coastal to outer reefs, most often along deep walls with caves that support abundant, diverse invertebrate growth including large sponges and soft corals. They can be found either solitary or in small groups. They are active in deeper water at night and move to shallower water during the day, and they are secretive in behavior. They frequently associate with the cleaner shrimp Periclimenes elegans. They occur at depths between 6 and 150 metres (20 to 492 ft), and feed mainly on fish.
