Pseudochromis punctatus Kotthaus 1970

This species is distinguished from its congeners by having the following characters: head and body grey to black dorsally; brownish yellow to pale pink or whitish ventrally, the 2 separated by a yellow stripe; dorsal and anal fins with dark brown to black spots; 26 segmented dorsal-fin rays and 15 for anal-fin rays; 17-19 (usually 18) pectoral-fin rays; horizontal scale rows above anal-fin origin 12-14 + 1 + 2-3 = 16-18; anterior lateral line scales 32-35; posterior 5-11 + 0-2; predorsal scales 16-20 (Ref. 81967, 11441).

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 15; Vertebrae: 26

Pseudochromis punctatus, the blackback dottyback, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Pseudochromidae, native to the Western Indian Ocean. This species reaches a length of 10.4 cm (4.1 in).