Samurai Squirrelfish

Body with red and white stripes following the scale rows, the red stripes slightly narrower than the white ones (Ref. 4201) (red stripes usually broader for Taiwan and Japan specimens); lateral line scales for northern Philippines, Taiwan and Japan specimens 44-49; 5 oblique rows of scales on cheek; body depth 2.8-3.1 in SL; head length 2.8-3.1 in SL; short snout, 3.65-4.15 in head length; interorbital width 4.3-4.65 in head length; maxilla extending from below front of pupil to below center of eye, upper jaw length 2.6-2.9 in head length; premaxillary groove reaching about a vertical at anterior edge of orbit; rounded anterior end of nasal bone; edge of small nasal fossa without spine; median edge of nasal bone (premaxillary groove margin) without spinule; upper edge of suborbital bones below the eye weakly serrated and without lateral spine; short preopercular spine, about 1/3 orbit diameter, 5.5-8.2 in head diameter; 4th or 5th longest dorsal spines, 1.7-2.2 in head length; third anal spine long, 1.15-1.4 in head length (Ref. 27370).

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Analspines: 4; Analsoft rays: 8 - 10

Inhabits rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9137). A nocturnal species that feeds mainly on benthic crabs and shrimps (Ref. 27370).

Occurs in outer reef slopes. A nocturnal species that feeds mainly on benthic crabs and shrimps. Spine of preopercle venomous. Solitary or in groups (Ref 90102).

分布於印度-太平洋區，由紅海與南非的納塔爾到馬貴斯群島，北至日本南部與小笠原群島，南至澳洲新南威爾斯。臺灣各地礁區皆有分布。

一般以一支釣及延繩釣的方法捕獲。魚肉白，但質地較爛，煮湯時肉易散開且多溶解油質，因此適合抹鹽油煎食用。唯須注意其內臟可能累積熱帶海魚毒。而它的鱗片及棘刺尖利，需小心刺傷。在水族館中也有人看上它鮮紅的體色，將它飼養做為觀賞魚。

體呈橢圓形，中等側扁。頭部具黏液囊，外露骨骼多有脊紋。眼大。口端位，裂斜。下頜不突出於上頜。前上頜骨的凹槽大約達眼窩的前緣；鼻骨的前緣圓形；鼻窩沒有小刺。前鰓蓋骨後下角具ㄧ強棘，長度不及1/2眼徑；眶下骨上緣沒有側突的小棘。體被大型櫛鱗；側線完全，側線鱗數 46-49，側線至背鰭硬棘中間點之鱗片數 2.5；頰上具 5 列斜鱗。鰓耙數 4-6 + 12-14 = 17-20。背鰭連續，單一，硬棘部及軟條部間具深凹，具硬棘 X-I，軟條 12-14(13)；最後一根硬棘短於前一根硬棘。臀鰭有硬棘 IV，軟條 9-10(9)；胸鰭軟條 14-16(15) ；尾鰭深叉形。具紅色與銀白色斑紋交互的體側，紅色斑紋通常會略窄於銀白色斑紋，但在台灣跟日本的標本，紅色斑紋則有略寬於銀白色斑紋的情形。背鰭的硬棘部鰭膜全為紅色，中央白色縱紋窄且止於棘末端，膜頂部亦為白色，第I至第III棘膜間有時具黑色斑塊；臀鰭最大棘區為深紅色；胸鰭基軸無黑斑。

主要棲息在珊瑚礁坡外，棲息深度在5-70公尺左右。行晝伏夜出的生活，晚上單獨來回不停的游動於礁坡處，以捕捉甲殼類及小魚為食。

Sargocentron ittodai, the samurai squirrelfish, is a nocturnal species of squirrelfish belonging to the genus of Sargocentron. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region, in the Red Sea and Natal, from South Africa to the Marquesan Islands, and north from Southern Japan and the Ogasawara Islands, south to New South Wales, Australia. It inhabits outer reef slopes. It can be found either solitary or in groups. It mainly feeds on benthic crabs and shrimps.