Forcipiger longirostris
Longnose Butterflyfish
©Lyle Vail: Forcipiger longirostris at Day Reef near Lizard Island. Note spots on underside of head.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Perciformes
Family
Chaetodontidae
Genus
Forcipiger
Species
Forcipiger longirostris
Colours
Distinguishing features
Very long snout, such that eye is much closer to base of pectoral fin than to snout tip; distinctive colouration as shown, usually with small black spots on white section of breast.
Size
- Up to 22 cm (Total length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Similar taxa
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Animalia:
species: Forcipiger flavissimus
has a shorter snout, so that eye is equidistant between snout tip and base of pectoral fin; never with spots on white section of breast.
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Allen and M.V. Erdmann, G.R. (2012). Reef fishes of the East Indies. Volumes I-III in: Reef fishes of the East Indies. Tropical Reef Research, Perth, Australia. LIRS catalog number 90162.
- Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990). Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Other references
- Bellwood, D.R., S. Klanten, P.F. Cowman, M.S. Pratchett, N. Konow and L. van Herwerden (2009). Evolutionary history of the butterflyfishes (f: Chaetodontidae) and the rise of coral feeding fishes, Journal of Evolutionary Biology, doi 10.1111: j1420-9101200901904x. LIRS catalog number 1348.
- View all references