Starksia starcki is distributed in the western Atlantic off the Florida Keys, Curacao, and from Majahual, Mexico to
Dangriga, Belize. It is probably more wide-ranging. It is a cryptic species, so it may be more widely distributed in
the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. According to Wilkinson (2004) destroyed reefs in the Caribbean are somewhere
between 5 and 16% of total reef area. In this case, coral reef habitat loss could possibly affect this species in the
future. Since currently, Starksia starcki is not dependent on live coral reefs, the loss of live coral cover in the Gulf
is unlikely to substantially impact current population trends. Labrisomidae spp. are only a minor component of the
lionfish diet, so S. starcki is not likely to be highly susceptible to lionfish predation.
Reference: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/46104864/0
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