A large lizardfish-shaped fish that sits propped on its pelvic fins on temperate reef, and lets a diver come close before moving.
To about 60 cm. Deep reddish to purple on the back and sides, pearly to yellowish-white below, with yellow fins blotched and spotted in crimson, red, orange and brown.
The clearest field character is also a sex distinction: adult males have greatly elongated rays in the first dorsal fin and females do not.
From the shallows to about two hundred and fifty metres on rocky and coral reef in bays, inlets and coastal water. It is a large-eyed ambush predator that sits still on the bottom propped on its pelvic fins and allows a close approach before moving.
The accepted name is now Latropiscis purpurissatus; older guides print Aulopus purpurissatus.
Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.
