Rudarius minutus Tyler, 1970
Minute leatherjacket
Rudarius minutus
photo by Neussner, O.

Family:  Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Max. size:  5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 15 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Queensland and Borneo. Reported from the Philippines (Ref. 5454), Indonesia (Ref. 8631) and Papua New Guinea (Ref. 6771). Also from Palau (Ref.37816).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26-28; Anal soft rays: 23-24. Body with 6 short dermal flaps. Males have distinctive ocellus above the front base of anal fin. Description: Characterized further by pale bluish grey body color with light brown band from eye to chin; body covered with numerous brown spots; snout longer than first dorsal spine, origin of spine above middle to posterior edge of eye; concave snout profile; relatively large eye, diameter 2.4-2.8 in head length; movable pelvic spine, with small vantral flap; side of caudal peduncle with fine setae in male; rounded caudal fin; depth of body at origin of anal fin 1.8-1.9 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Collected from mixed sand-coral habitats. Lives mainly on coastal reefs and most often found on outcrops of coral in sheltered sandy bays subject to moderate tidal currents (Ref. 48637). Occurs singly or in groups among the branches of gorgonians, soft corals, or finely-branched fire corals (Ref. 37816, 48637).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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