Striped Whiptail

Scientific Name: Scaevius vitta
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Light gray; dark mid-lateral stripe with diffuse white borders, often a broad dusky to blackish area along upper edge of belly.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 1-30m.
Location: W. Australia.

Coral Whiptail

Scientific Name: Scaevius milii
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Eight alternating white to light blue and dark gray stripes on upper body, bottom stripe connected with slanting dark lines; small dark spot on upper tail base.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 3-40m.
Location: N.W. Australia.

Yellow-Striped Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus aureofasciatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Bluish back and white belly; creamy yellow mid-lateral stripe and yellowish streak on back. A common but undescribed species.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Mid-water over sand near reefs in 5-20m.
Location: West Pacific - E. Indonesia and Philippines to Samoa, north to Taiwan.

White-Shouldered Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus bifasciatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Brown to dark gray on upper sides with 3 white stripes; white marking on upper rear edge of gill cover; slender with pointed snout.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Silty coastal reefs in 2-20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Singapore, Malaysian Peninsula, W. Indonesia and Philippines.

Three-Striped Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus trivittatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Gray, underside of head and body white; pale saddles and stripe on back, white mid-body blotch gradates into stripe toward tail.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-30m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Malaysian Peninsula to Philippines, E. Caroline Is. in Micronesia and Solomon Is.

Small-Toothed Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus caninus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Greenish gray to bluish gray back gradating to whitish lower body; broad yellowish stripe from eye to base of tail; no dark band between eyes.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Silty coastal reefs and deep lagoons in 2-35m.
Location: West Pacific - Malaysian Peninsula to Gilbert Is. S.W. Japan to New Caledonia.

Paradise Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus paradiseus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Gray; white stripe bordered by dark gray stripe from eye to tail joins white V-shaped mark and small black spot on tail base.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 10-70m.
Location: Asian Pacific - S. Papua New Guinea, Solomon Is. and Great Barrier Reef.

Japanese Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus nagasakiensis
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Brownish back gradating to whitish lower body; white stripe bordered with wide yellow to gold diffuse stripes from snout through lower eye to tail; slender with pointed snout.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 20-100m.
Location: Asian Pacific - S.W. Japan and central Indonesia to N.W. Australia.

Double Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus emeryii
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Blue back grading to whitish lower body with thin yellowish stripe on back and wider mid-lateral stripe; slender with pointed snout and elongate filament on each tail lobe.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Silty coastal reefs in 2-35m.
Location: Asian Pacific - N.W. Australia, E. Indonesia and Philippines.

Butterfly Whiptail

Scientific Name: Pentapodus setosus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Light gray; gold to yellow stripe from eye to upper base of tail joins a pale lower stripe to form a V with central dark spot; adults have filament extending from upper tail lobe.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 5-50m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Malaysian Peninsula, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines.