Monotaxis heterodon is very common at Kwajalein on lagoon, pinnacle and seaward reefs, where it tends to hang more or less motionless above the reef in schools by day, dispersing at night to feed on benthic invertebrates. It looks very similar to Monotaxis grandoculis, differing primarily in its narrower vertical white bands and a more reddish tail. Sometimes it is hard to tell to which species a particular individual belongs.
Young individuals.
The photos below by Stan Jazwinski appear to show a smaller juvenile.
Created 15 April 2017
Updated 15 January 2020