Halimuraena hexagonata Smith, 1952

Family:  Pseudochromidae (Dottybacks), subfamily: Congrogadinae
Max. size:  6 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: coasts of Kenya, Mozambique, the southwest coast of Madagascar, and Chesterfield Island in the Mozambique Channel.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 1-1; Dorsal soft rays (total): 45-47; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 36-37; Vertebrae: 51-53. Shoulder with an ocellated dark spot. Fused gill membranes in ventral midline, ventrally free from isthmus. Variable cephalic sensory canal pores. Variable color pattern, light brown yellow anteriorly, dark posteriorly; blotches on body forming almost a `honeycomb pattern'; iris gray-gold; a short dark bar from posteroventral margin of eye across cheek. Preopercular canal with 7 pores; 7 suborbital pores; with a bilateral, anterior interorbital pore. No scales on cheeks, opercles and nape. Lower lateral line with 60-72 pored scales.
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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