Beaked Coralfish, Chelmon rostratus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Scientific name: Chelmon rostratus
Alternative name/s:
Copperbanded Butterflyfish
A Beaked Coralfish at Palau Redang Click to enlarge image
Beaked Coralfish at a depth of 13 m, Palau Redang, east coast of peninsular Malaysia, April 2001. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Chelmon
    Species
    rostratus
    Family
    Chaetodontidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 20 cm in length.

Introduction

The Beaked Coralfish has a very long snout and tall dorsal and anal fins. It has three orange bars and an ocellus on the dorsal fin rays. It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

Identification

The Beaked Coralfish has a very long snout and tall dorsal and anal fins. It has three orange bars and an ocellus on the dorsal fin rays.

There is a dark-margined orange bar through the eye and a blue-edged bar across the caudal peduncle.

The long snout of adults is not present in larvae or juveniles. It develops after the larval fish settles on the reef.

Lizard Island Research Station, Great Barrier Reef

Beaked Coralfish, Chelmon rostratus

Image: Lyle Vail
© Australian Museum

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the northern Great Barrier Reef to the central coast of New South Wales.

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

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
  3. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  4. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  6. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  7. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.