Bannerfish aka False Moorish Idol

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Order: Perciformes (Perch likes)

Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)

 

Genus/species: Heniochus diphreutes

 

GENERAL CHARCTERISTICS: Color is white with pair of black bands, second band terminating at end of anal fin. There is an elongate dorsal fin filament. All species have a deep, laterally

compressed body with a continuous dorsal fin and distinctive rounded anal fin. The mouth is small, terminal, and protrusible with small brushlike teeth.

 

Length up to 21 cm (8 in)

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo Pacific; widely distributed from the Red Sea and the east coast of Africa to Hawaii on outer reef slopes, 15–210 m or 50-690 feet in the tropics typically in cool upwelling water.

 

DIET IN THE WILD: Zooplankton

 

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous forming pairs during breeding

 

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)

 

REMARKS: Form large schools, and also occur in small groups or solitary. Elongate dorsal fin filament, which gives this group of fishes their “bannerfish” moniker; is the fourth dorsal spine. Often called the false Moorish Idol for its markings similar to the Steinhart’s iconic species; however, the flowing dorsal fin and larger size of the Idol are distinctive differentiations.

 

References

 

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium, Philippine coral reef 2016

 

Ron's Wordpress Shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-Go

 

fishbase www.fishbase.us/tools/UploadPhoto/start.php?speccode=7769

 

EOL eol.org/pages/213588/details

 

Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/4714776293/in/set-72157...

 

June 16, 2010, 2-10-13, 2-11-14, 4-18-16

Done