The masked hamlet (Hypoplectrus providencianus) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea bass from the subfamily Serraninae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the groupers and anthias.

[2] This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean Sea and has been recorded from the coast of Central America from Quintana Roo in Mexico to Bocas del Toro in Panama and from Jamaica to Puerto Rico, as well as in the Turks and Caicos and the Cayman Islands.

[7] H. providencianus possesses a spine at the base of the dorsal fin, a protruding upper jaw, a flattened head, and a lateral line running down the flank.

[6] Due to the similarities between the morphology of H. providencianus in comparison to that of its relatives, it is a difficult to classify the various species of the Hypoplectrus genus.

[6] H. providencianus resides in coastal waters of the Caribbean, including near Mexico, Panama, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, the Cayman Islands, Colombia, and the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.

[7] H. providencianus commonly makes its habitat in patch corals inside lagoons in relatively shallow waters of depths of about three to ten meters below sea level.

[7] While the species may be present in the offshore waters of islands, they are the only member of the Hypoplectrus genus that is completely absent from continental shelves.

[5] Each species in the genus generally exhibits the same feeding behaviors, except for the H. indigo which mostly eats Chromis cyaneus.

[7] Hamlets, including H. providencianus, are simultaneous hermaphrodites, which means they can produce both sperm and eggs at the same time, and each individual can play the role of male or female.