Callanthias is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes within the family Callanthiidae.

These fishes are predominantly found in the subtropical regions of the Pacific Ocean, with one species occurring in the Indian Ocean and two species in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

Callanthias was first established as a monospecific genus in 1839 by English zoologist Richard Thomas Lowe, who described Callanthias paradiseus. However, Lowe’s C. paradiseus is now considered a synonym of Lepimphis ruber, a species described by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1810 from Palermo, Sicily. The classification of Callanthias has been historically uncertain. It was once considered an unusual genus within the family Serranidae, while other researchers placed it in the Grammatidae.

Today, Callanthias is one of two genera in the family Callanthiidae, the other being Grammatonotus, which the 5th edition of Fishes of the World places in the order Spariformes.

Etymology

The name Callanthias combines the Greek word callos meaning beautiful and Anthias, a genus in the family Serranidae. Lowe chose this name because he described the type species, Callanthias paradisaeus, as a most elegant little fish and almost as rare as beautiful, noting its resemblance to Anthias in form and dentition.

Species

Although Callanthias species were previously included in the genus Anthias, there are currently 8 recognized species within the genus:

Callanthias allporti (Southern splendid perch)

Callanthias australis (Magnificent splendid perch)

Callanthias japonicus (Japanese splendid perch)

Callanthias legras (Goldie)

Callanthias parini (Nazca splendid perch)

Callanthias platei (Juan Fernández splendid perch)

Callanthias ruber (Parrot seaperch)

Callanthias splendens (Splendid perch)

Characteristics

Callanthias species, commonly known as splendid perches, are characterized by elongated bodies, short blunt heads, and large eyes positioned near the end of the head. Their mouths are oblique, extending to beneath the middle of the eye. Each jaw has a single outer row of conical teeth and an inner row of smaller, conical or villiform teeth.

Some species also have forward-pointing canine-like teeth, and a few may have tiny teeth in the palatine. The operculum features two short spines at the upper part, while the preoperculum lacks spines or serrations. The fish have large, ctenoid scales and long soft rays in the dorsal, which are not incised. The caudal fin is forked, with males exhibiting long filaments extending from both lobes. These fishes are protogynous, meaning they change gender from female to male, which involves changes in size, morphology, and coloration.

The largest species, C. australis (Magnificent splendid perch), reaches a maximum length of 49 cm (19 inches), though most species typically grow between 17.9 cm and 30 cm (7.0 to 11.8 inches). These fish are known for their vibrant colors, with hues of red, orange, yellow, and purple being typical.

Distribution and Habitat

Callanthias splendid perches are primarily found in temperate and subtropical seas, with most species inhabiting the Pacific Ocean. One species, the Southern splendid perch (C. allporti), extends into the southeastern Indian Ocean, while two species are found in the Atlantic. The Goldie (C. legras) is located in the southeastern Atlantic off the coast of Southern Africa, and the Parrot seaperch (C. ruber) is found in the northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. These fishes typically inhabit deep reefs, rocky walls, pinnacles, and seamounts.