Pinhead Pearlfish
Encheliophis boraborensis
- Usual depth2–43 m
- Water temperature25–30 °C
- Best monthsAugust, October, and November
- How commonRare
About this species
The pinhead pearlfish, Encheliophis boraborensis, is a species of slender, ray-finned fish in the family Carapidae found in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean; it normally lives inside the body cavity of a sea cucumber such as the pineapple sea cucumber or the leopard sea cucumber.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Pinhead pearlfish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 1 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 0 records
- April: 1 records
- May: 3 records
- June: 0 records
- July: 1 records
- August: 5 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 4 records
- November: 4 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 2–43 m · Deepest record: 43 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 25–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Pinhead Pearlfish
Names in 1 more languages
- Japanese
- Bozukakureuo, シロカクレウオ, ボウズカクレウオ
Other scientific names: Carapus boraborensis, Carapus kagoshimanus, Carapus parvipinnis, Encheliophis boraboraensis, Encheliophis parvipinnis, Enchelyophis boraboraensis, Fierasfer boraborensis, Fierasfer kagoshimanus, Fierasfer parvipinnis, Jordanicus parvipinnis, Rhizoiketicus carolinensis
Similar species
- Graceful pearlfish
Encheliophis gracilis
- Silver pearlfish
Encheliophis homei
- Finless pearlfish
Encheliophis vermicularis
- Pygmy Pearlfish
Encheliophis vermiops
Fowler's pearlfishOnuxodon fowleri
- Star Pearlfish
Carapus mourlani
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 45 open-data records from 1856 to 2007.
- Species data updated November 2, 2026.
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