Orangetip Bristletooth

Scientific Name: Ctenochaetus tominiensis
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Brown with paler lower head, outer rear portion of dorsal and anal fins yellow orange, white tail.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coral-rich areas of lagoons and outer reef slopes in 5-40m.
Location: West Pacific - Bali in Indonesia to Philippines and Palau, south to Vanuatu and Fiji.

Yellowtail Sergeant

Scientific Name: Abudefduf notatus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Gray with 5 narrow white bars (including band on tail base); yellow tail.
Favourite: Usually form schools, but occasionally solitary.
Hide-out: Rocky inshore reefs with moderate to strong wave action to 12m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Africa to New Britain east of Papua New Guinea, north to S.W. Japan.

Circular Spadefish

Scientific Name: Platax orbicularis
Family: Spadefish - Ephippidae
Maximum Size: 28cm
Identification: Silver; dark to faint eye bar and a second bar from front of dorsal to ventral fin, usually few small black spots on sides.
Favourite: In pairs or groups.
Hide-out: Shoreline and outer reefs in 2-35m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. S.W. Japan to N.E. Australia and New Caledonia.

Slender Unicornfish

Scientific Name: Naso lopezi
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 65cm
Identification: Slender body; bluish gray with numerous small round dark gray spots; occasionally displays a large whitish patch around pectoral fin.
Favourite: Form groups; feed on zooplankton.
Hide-out: Along steep outer reef drop-offs in 20-50m.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - Andaman Sea to Papua New Guinea. Philippines to Great Barrier Reef.

Indo-Pacific Sergeant

Scientific Name: Abudefduf vaigiensis
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 19cm
Identification: Gray with 5 black to purple or blue bars (including bar at tail base); frequently with yellow back.
Favourite: Usually form feeding groups in mid-water or guard nests inside rocky crevices.
Hide-out: Shoreline reefs and outer slopes to 12m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Line Is. and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Teardrop Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodon unimaculatus
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Description: White with bright yellow dorsal, anal and ventral fins; black tear-shaped spot on back; adults develop a large bulbous snout.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Lagoons and seaward reefs in 10-60m.
Location: Pacific - Indonesia and Philippines to French Polynesia. S.W. Japan and Hawaii to N.W. & E. Australia.

Longnose Tang

Scientific Name: Zebrasoma rostratum
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 21cm
Identification: Dark brown to nearly black, white tail spine; protruding snout.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups; feed on filamentous algae.
Hide-out: Lagoons and seaward reefs in 3-20m.
Location: East Central Pacific - Phoenix and Line Is. to French Polynesia and east to Pitcaim Is.

Black-Banded Demoiselle

Scientific Name: Amblypomacentrus breviceps
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 8cm
Identification: White; dark eye bar, pair of black bars on upper half of body joined by dark margin on dorsal fin; slender body, adults have filaments on tail lobes; young are yellow to brown on lower half.
Hide-out: Sand or silt bottoms of coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-35m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea to Solomon Is. and Great Barrier Reef.

Orangehead Pygmy Angelfish

Scientific Name: Centropyge hotumatua
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 8cm
Identification: Yellow-orange head and deep blue to nearly black body, yellow-orange tail; blue ring around eye, small dark spot near grill cover.
Favourite: Solitary or form small aggregations.
Hide-out: Rock or coral reefs in 14-45m.
Location: Austral and Rapa Is. in French Polynesia, also Pitcaim and Easter Is.

Blackeye Rabbitfish

Scientific Name: Siganus puelloides
Family: Rabbitfishes - Siganidae
Maximum Size: 31cm
Identification: Pale blue undercolor with close-set yellow spots; dark marking under chin and dark area around eye are remnants of a chin to eye band on juveniles.
Favourite: In pairs; feed on algae, tunicates and sponges.
Hide-out: Reef flats and along dropoffs to 15m.
Location: Indian Ocean - Seychelles to Maldives and Andaman Sea.

Golden Damsel

Scientific Name: Amblyglyphidodon aureus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Bright yellow to gold including fins; blue markings around eye; long pointed rear dorsal and anal fins.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Steep outer reef slopes in 12-35m.
Location: East Indo-West Pacific - Andaman Sea to Marshall Is. in Micronesia and Fiji. S.W. Japan to N.W. Australia and New Caledonia.

Pennant Bannerfish

Scientific Name: Heniochus chrysostomus
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 18cm
Description: White with black band on head, mid-body and upper rear body, yellow upper snout; tallest dorsal spine trails feather-like pennant.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Inshore and outer reefs in 3-45m.
Location: East Indo-Pacific - Cocos-Keeling Is. to Indonesia, Philippines, Micronesia, Fiji and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to N.W. & E. Australia.

Barred Unicornfish

Scientific Name: Naso thynnoides
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Pale gray; wide yellowish stripe from eye to tail, numerous dark bluish gray bars on sides, irregular spots on head.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Lagoons and outer reefs in 2-30m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Micronesia, Gilbert and Solomon Is. and N. Great Barrier Reef, north to S.W. Japan.

Banded Sergeant

Scientific Name: Abudefduf septemfasciatus
Family: Damselfishes - Pomacentridae
Maximum Size: 19cm
Identification: Whitish with 6-7 dark grayish bars, upper first 2-3 bars often intensely dark.
Favourite: Form small groups.
Hide-out: Rocky inshore reefs with mild to moderate surge conditions to 3m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Line Is. and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Ocellated Pygmy Angelfish

Scientific Name: Centropyge nigriocellus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 6cm
Identification: Pale yellowish or whitish; prominent black spot at base of pectoral fin base, ocellated spot on rear dorsal fin.
Favourite: Shy, rarely observed.
Hide-out: Coral rubble areas in lagoons and along outer reefs in 4-15m.
Location: North Central Pacific - Scattered from Mariana Is. in Micronesia to Admiralty Is, Samoa, Line Is. and Johnston Atoll.

Brushtail Tang

Scientific Name: Zebrasoma scopas
Family: Surgeonfishes - Acanthuridae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Yellowish brown gradating to nearly black on the tail; dark brush-like patch of bristles in front of white tail spine; tiny pale blue dots or lines on head and body.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Lagoons and outer reefs to 50m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Indonesia, Philippines and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef and Lord Howe I.

Banded Scat

Scientific Name: Selenotoca multifasciata
Family: Scat - Scatophagidae
Maximum Size: 28cm
Identification: Silvery; black bars on back form into spots on lower body; sharp fin spines and small scales.
Favourite: Usually form groups.
Hide-out: Estuaries, mangrove creeks and lower reaches of stream to 5m.
Location: Asian Pacific - N. Australia and S. New Guinea to New Caledonia.

Black & Yellow Butterflyfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodon smithi
Family: Butterflyfish - Chaetodontidae
Maximum Size: 17cm
Description: Dark brown head and forebody, yellow rear body and tail.
Favourite: Commonly in large mid-water feeding aggregations.
Hide-out: Rocky, algal-covered reefs with scattered coral in 10-30m.
Location: Rapa I., Ilots de Bass I. (Marotiri) and Pitcaim Is. in S. and S.E. French Polynesia.

Barred Rabbitfish

Scientific Name: Siganus doliatus
Family: Rabbitfishes - Siganidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Light blue to whitish with intricate pattern of thin yellow and blue lines; pair of dark bands on head and forebody.
Favourite: In pairs or small groups.
Hide-out: Inshore and outer reefs in 2-15m.
Location: West Pacific - Sulawesi in Indonesia to Tonga. Palau to S. Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Spotted Scat

Scientific Name: Scatophagus argus
Family: Scat - Scatophagidae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Greenish brown to silvery with numerous brown to red-brown spots. Juveniles have alternating light and dark bars.
Favourite: Form aggregations.
Hide-out: Sheltered bays, harbors and mangrove creeks to 5m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Arabian Gulf to Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Fiji. S.W. Japan to Australia.