Description

Also known as Coat-of Mail-Fish, Knightfish, Lightfish, Luminescent Pineconefish, Mailfish, Pineapplefish, Port-and-Starboard Brightfish, Port-and-Starboard Lightfish, Sawbelly, Soldierfish, West Australian Knightfish.

Found during the day, close to the shore, in caves and under ledges, dispersing at night foraging for food, over mud and sandy bottoms, of coral and rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans, which they attract with their internal light organ that gives them a glow effect.
Juveniles in shallow waters.
Length - 22cm
Depth - 6-200cm
Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Pacific - Australia

Pineconefishes have large hard armoured scales which resemble a pinecone. Near the tip of their jaws they have a small rectangular light organ, powered by luminescent symbiotic bacteria, at night this produces a cold blue/green light which may be used to locate food or for communication. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/8210