Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ovalentaria/misc (Various families in series Ovalentaria) >
Pseudochromidae (Dottybacks) > Pseudochrominae
Etymology: Pseudochromis: Greek, pseudes = false + Greek, chromis = a fish, perhaps a perch (Ref. 45335); howsoni: Named in honor of Craig Howson, captain of the charter vessel True North, for his excellent service during several Western Australian Museum expeditions (Ref. 31113).
Eponymy: Craig Howson is a long-time friend of the authors and the founding (1987) Director of North Star cruises and owner of the ‘luxurious’ Australian cruise ship ‘True North’. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 23 m (Ref. 31113). Tropical
Eastern Indian Ocean: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 10.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 36661)
Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 14. Anterior tips of palatine tooth patches directed medially behind posterolateral arms of vomerine tooth patch; large dark spot at posterior corner of operculum; color pattern sexually dimorphic, male overall orange anteriorly and purplish grey posteriorly, female entirely purplish grey; neither sex with narrow white bar on head just behind eye (Ref. 31113).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Found on sand-rubble bottom, around low rocky outcrops (Ref. 36661). Occurs in pairs (Ref. 36661). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Allen, G.R., 1997. The marine fishes of tropical Australia and south-east Asia. Western Australian Museum, Perth, Western Australia. 292 p. (Ref. 36661)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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