Home · Serranidae · Shen's anthias
Shen's anthias (Pseudanthias sheni) — Serranidae

Shen's anthias

Pseudanthias sheni
Family: Serranidae

The Shen's anthias (Pseudanthias sheni) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
10.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
25.0–46.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Australia

Want the complete picture on the Shen's anthias?

Get the app

Description

Shen's anthias is an anthias (Serranidae) from clear reef water of the western Pacific. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a stocky, orange-pink body with yellow and magenta tints; males are more brightly coloured than females. As a day-active fish it hovers in schools above coral heads and steep slopes and snaps at zooplankton in the current. It lives in harem groups around a dominant male; if it disappears, the strongest female changes sex. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Shen's anthias?

The Shen's anthias has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Shen's anthias live?

The Shen's anthias lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: Australia

How big does the Shen's anthias get?

The Shen's anthias grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Shen's anthias dangerous to humans?

No, the Shen's anthias is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Shen's anthias?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Shen's anthias is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Shen's anthias sourced
Scientific name
Pseudanthias sheni
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Shen's basslet sourced

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.5 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
25.0 verified
Max depth (m)
46.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Australia sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Pseudanthias

More from the family Serranidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Shen's anthias?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Shen's anthias is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Shen's anthias? Get the app