About Neoniphon argenteus (Valenciennes, 1831)
Neoniphon argenteus, commonly called the clearfin squirrelfish or silver squirrelfish, is a rarely observed species in the family Holocentridae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, with a range extending from East Africa to New Caledonia. It occurs both north and south of Australia, and throughout Micronesia. This species inhabits areas around islands and shallow reefs, and like N. sammara, it associates with Acropora corals. It lives at depths between 3 and 20 metres (9.8 to 65.6 feet), and can grow to a maximum total length of 24.0 centimetres (9.4 inches). It feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates. Neoniphon argenteus is collected for the ornamental fish trade and used as bait in tuna fisheries, though there are no known major threats to the species at this time.
