ANIMAL SPECIES:Longnose Butterflyfish, Forcipiger longirostris (Broussonet, 1782)
The Longnose Butterflyfish has a compressed body and a very long snout. It resembles the Forcepsfish, F. flavissimus, but can be distinguished by its longer snout, smaller mouth gape, number of dorsal fin spines (10-11 vs. 12-13 in the Forcepsfish) and by rows of small black spots on the breast. These spots are unusually pale in the fish in the image.
Identification
The Longnose Butterflyfish has a compressed body and a very long snout.
It resembles the Forcepsfish, F. flavissimus, but can be distinguished by its longer snout, smaller mouth gape, number of dorsal fin spines (10-11 vs. 12-13 in the Forcepsfish) and by rows of small black spots on the breast. These spots are unusually pale in the fish in the image.
Size range
The Longnose Butterflyfish grows to 22 cm in length.Distribution
The species occurs throughout the Indo-West and Central Pacific.
In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef.
Habitat
The Longnose Butterflyfish is found on coral reefs.
Classification
- Species:
- longirostris
- Genus:
- Forcipiger
- Family:
- Chaetodontidae
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
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