species: Centriscus sp. in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Centriscus sp.


©Lyle Vail: Centriscus sp. about 7 cm long in the lagoon entrance channel, Lizard Island.

©Lyle Vail: Centriscus sp. about 7 cm long in the lagoon channel entrance, Lizard Island.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Gasterosteiformes
Family Centriscidae
Genus Centriscus
Species Centriscus sp.

Colours

         

Distinguishing features

Distinguishing features still need to be specified.

Size

  • Up to 7 cm (length of photographed specimen)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Comments

Two species of Centriscus are known to occur in the Lizard Island area, Centriscus cristatus and Centriscus scutatus. The former is larger (to 20 cm), does not have a groove between the eyes, is usually found in seagrass, and may be solitary. The latter grows to 14 cm, has an interorbital groove, is usually found among branching corals, sea whips and black corals, and is usually in large schools (Allen and Erdmann, 2012).

The specimen photographed here appears to be a juvenile and cannot be identified to species from the photo. It is clearly distinguishable from the other razorfish at Lizard Island, Aeoliscus strigatus, by the unjointed first dorsal spine.

by Anne Hoggett

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.