Description

Also known as Dick Bridegroom Fish, Japanese Pineapplefish, Knightfish, Pine Sculpin, Pineapplefish, Sawbelly, Soldierfish.

Found in schools, during the day close to the shore, in caves and under ledges, dispersing at night hunting for food, over sandy bottoms of rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans and zooplankton, which they attract with their internal light organ, that gives them a glow effect.
Juveniles found in shallow waters.
Length - 17cm
Depth - 1-250m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific

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/Monocentris-japonica.html