Description:

Dorsal spines: 1-4; Dorsal rays: 52-56; Anal spines: 1; Anal rays: 46-55.

Slender, elongate body with rounded head. Preopercle smooth margin. Large, sharp spine in the centre of the gill cover. Truncate caudal fin. 

Colour. Greyish dorsally white ventrally. usually yellowish on forehead. Faint chevron-like bars on upper body and sides. Two convergent black stripes, 
one each on the upper and lower lobes of the caudal fin.

Maturity: Unknown. Max length: 32.0 cm TL; common length: 26.5 cm SL.
 

Inhabits barren, open areas of outer reef slopes (depth 5-50 m, usually 14-45 m). Occurs in pairs over rocks or sandy areas adjacent to reefs. Usually 
retreat to their burrows when threatened. Benthopelagic. Feed on small fish and invertebrates.  

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not subject to the artisanal fishery. 
 

Photo courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.
 

ALA. Malacanthus brevirostris Guichenot, 1848. Flagtail Blanquillo. https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/b6b38597-fbc0-4cbd-a0a8-bbdbb660ec6c (16/08/22).   
Bray, D.J. Malacanthus brevirostris in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3710 (16/08/22). 
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Malacanthus-brevirostris (15/08/22). 
Smith, M. & Heemstra, P. (Eds.) (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4

Nevill, J.E.G., Brighton, E. & Mason-Parker, C. (2022). Malacanthus brevirostris, Quakerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/malacanthus-brevirostris-guichenot-1848/