Cirrhitidae

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Cirrhitidae (hawkfish; subclass Actinopterygii, order Perciformes) A family of fairly small marine fish that have a robust body, a rounded tail fin, and tiny frills (cirri) at the tips of the spines of the first dorsal fin. Living among rocks or reefs, their brown-spotted skin makes these fish hard to see. One of the larger species, Cirrhitus alternatus of Hawaii, grows to at least 25 cm. Although widely distributed in tropical seas, most species are found in the Indo-Pacific region. There are about 35 species.