Twospot Bristletooth, Ctenochaetus binotatus (Randall, 1955)
Click to enlarge image
© Erik Schlögl
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Ctenochaetus
- Species
- binotatus
- Family
- Acanthuridae
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The Two-spot Bristletooth grows to 22 cm in length.
Introduction
The Twospot Bristletooth has a black spot at the rear base of the dorsal and anal fins. The species occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.
Identification
The Twospot Bristletooth is orange-brown with fine blue lines. It has blue eyes, blue spots on the head and thorax and a black spot at the rear base of the dorsal and anal fins.
The species has comb-like teeth with up to 42 teeth in the upper jaw and 45 teeth in the lower jaw. It has a single caudal peduncle spine that can be retracted into a groove.
Distribution
It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.
In Australia it is known from the offshore islands of north-western Australia and from the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Juveniles are sometimes carried as far south as the central coast of New South Wales by the Eastern Australian Current.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H & H. Debelius. 2001. Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and their relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Acanthuroidei. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
