Cyerce elegans is common in the Marshalls, and we have observed specimens at Enewetak, Kwajalein and Bikini Atolls. It has also been found at Rongelap by John and Lynette Flynn and at Majuro by Ken Cone and Beth Van Zummeren. It lives under dead coral rocks on lagoon reefs at depths of 1-15 meters or tucked into Halimeda plants in lagoon algae patches. Seven measured specimens ranged from 12 to 55mm in length. Most often the animals are translucent whitish like the first one below, but some individuals are darker. These are very similar to the recently described Cyerce basi and often live in the same places. The most visible difference you can see in photographs are the thin white veins throughout the dorsal paddles in C. basi and their lack in C. elegans.
The next photo shows a Majuro specimen photographed by Ken Cone.
The specimen below was more translucent yellowish.
Color ranges all the way to the reddish brown figured below.
Create 22 January 2007
Updated 19 July 2025