English Name: Longnose hawkfish
Family: CIRRHITIDAE
Local Name: Thundhigu gaaboa
Order: Perciformes
Size: Max. 13 cm
Specimen: MRS/0369/91
Distinctive Characters: Dorsal fin with 10 spines and 13 rays. Anal fin with 3 spines and 7 rays. Pectoral fin with 14 rays. Lower 5 or 6 pectoral rays unbranched. Body depth 4.4-4.6 in standard length. Snout extremely long. 2 or 4 cirri from membrane near tip of each dorsal spine.
Colour: Whitish with horizontal and near-vertical red bands forming a cross-hatch pattern. Males sometimes have a black border to the pelvic and caudal fins.
Habitat and Biology: Generally seen perched on black coral or gorgonians, usually at depths greater than 30 m. Feeds mainly on crustaceans, both benthic and planktonic.
Distribution: Indo-Pacific and Eastern Pacific.
Remarks: Unlike other hawkfishes Oxvirrhitus tipus is easily distinguished by its extremely elongated snout. A very popular aquarium fish.