Malacoctenus carrowi Wirtz 2014

This species is distinguished by the following characters: D XX+10; A II+19; pectoral 14 soft rays; ventrals three soft rays; the length of shortest pelvic ray is more than half the length of the longest pelvic ray; lateral line scales 55-56; presence of prepectoral scales which are considerably smaller than scales on body; belly scaled except breast area; colour pattern dominated by 6 vertical bars on the body, delineated in straight vertical lines; these bands barely enter the dorsal fin; transparent dorsal fin membranes (Ref. 98055).

Dorsal spines (total): 20; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 19

Collected using anaesthetic (quinaldine or clove) oil sprayed into horizontal cracks in rock faces or below large stones at about 10-13 m depth. Additional animals were seen when overturning big stones at 10-16 m and one individual was photographed at night, resting on open rock in water only 3 m deep (Ref. 98055).