Yellow Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Paracirrhites xanthus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 11cm
Identification: Yellow; short diagonal black line behind eye.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Perch among branches of Pocillopora coral on exposed outer reefs in 3-25m.
Location: Central Pacific - Phoenix Is. and Tuamotu and Society Is. in French Polynesia.

Pacific Longnose Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Hipposcarus longiceps
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: Initial Phase - Long snout; pale yellowish gray with pale vertical streaks on scales, yellow tail base; short tail lobes. Terminal Phase - Similar, but lack yellow tail base.
Hide-out: Lagoon and seaward reefs on sand bottoms near reefs in 2-40m.
Location: Pacific - Indonesia to Line Is. and Tuamotu Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Halfspotted Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Paracirrhites hemistictus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 28cm
Identification: Pale Variation - Brown to yellowish brown or gray on head and body; white mid-lateral stripe with yellow below, numerous dark spots on upper body.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Perch in corals on clear, exposed seaward reefs in 1-18m.
Location: East Indo-Pacific - Cocos-Keeling I. to Marquesas Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Palenose Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Scarus psittacus
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Yellow to green with salmon-pink scale margins, lavender-gray snout and bluish tail.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Reef flats, lagoons and seaward slopes in 2-25m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea to Hawaii and French Polynesia. S. Japan to S.E. Australia and Lord Howe I.

Freckled Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Paracirrhites forsteri
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 22cm
Identification: Colors quite variable, most commonly shades of brown; numerous small spots 'freckles' on head and forebody, brown striped area toward rear of body.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Perch on corals in coastal, lagoon and seaward reefs in 1-35m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Marquesas Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Highfin Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Scarus Longipinnis
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: Purple with wide pale bar on forebody; green band runs from eye to pectoral fin; high rounded yellow dorsal fin, elongate tail lobes.
Hide-out: Clear outer slopes and atoll reefs in 10-55m.
Location: Pacific - Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea to Pitcaim Is. east of French Polynesia.

Arc-Eye Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Paracirrhites arcatus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 13cm
Identification: Shades of brown; arc-shaped marking of orange, red and blue lines behind eye, 3 orange dashes on lower edge of gill cover, broad white stripe on side to tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Perch on coral heads of coastal, lagoon and seaward reefs in 1-35m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Hawaii and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Stareye Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Calotomus carolinus
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Blue-green with orange-pink bands radiating from eye.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Lagoon and seaward reefs on coral, rubble, weed and seagrass bottoms in 2-30m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Pitcaim Is. east of French Polynesia and Mexico. S. Japan to Australia.

Lyretail Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Cyprinocirrhites polyactis
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Orange-brown with faint brown freckling; forked tail.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Unlike other hawkfishes, which feed on the bottom, hover in mid-water feeding on plankton over steep slopes and coral outcroppings in 10-132m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Africa to Australia, north to S.W. Japan.

Bower's Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Chlorurus bowersi
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Green with rosy pink streak on scales; broad lavender patch on snout, large triangular orange patch on forebody.
Favourite: Usually solitary.
Hide-out: Coral-rich areas of lagoons or upper edge of channels in 2-20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Philippines and Palau, north to S.W. Japan.

Longnose Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Oxycirrhites typus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 13cm
Identification: Long 'needle-nosed' snout; white with red bars and stripes forming netted pattern of squares.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Perch among branches of black coral and gorgonian sea fans on steep outer reef slopes in 12-100m, usually below 25m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea to Hawaii and Panama. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Japanese Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Chlorurus japanensis
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Light green with broad purple band from forehead to belly; lavender patch on snout.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Sheltered seaward and lagoon reefs to 20m.
Location: West Pacific - Sulawesi in Indonesia and Philippines to Samoa. S.W. Japan to E. Australia.

Splendid Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Cirrhitichthys splendens
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 23cm
Identification: White undercolor with dark brown body blotches; red spots on head are elongate on nape, spotted tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Seaward reefs in 5-30m.
Location: Southwest Pacific - N. New South Wales, Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Is.

Tan-Faced Parrotfish

Scientific Name: Chlorurus frontalis
Family: Parrotfishes - Scaridae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Green with tan patch and markings on upper head; pale green base of tail. Develop near vertical head profile and elongate tail lobes.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Exposed reef flats and seaward reefs to 40m.
Location: Pacific - S.W. Japan and Great Barrier Reef to Line Is. and Ducie Is. east of French Polynesia.

Pixy Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 9.5cm
Identification: White undercolor with irregular red-brown spots on body and fins.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Coastal, lagoon and outer reefs to 40m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Panama. Mariana Is. in Micronesia to Australia.

Many-Lined Sweetlips

Scientific Name: Plectorhinchus multivittatum
Family: Sweetlips - Haemulidae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: Pale bluish gray with bright yellow fins; wavy yellow lines on head, diagonal rows of broken yellow lines on body.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups; nocturnally active, drift in sheltered areas during day.
Hide-out: Mainly coastal reefs in 3-20m.
Location: N.W. Australia.

Golden Hawkfish

Scientific Name: Cirrhitichthys aureus
Family: Hawkfishes - Cirrhitidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Yellow to orange to pale brown undercolor; may display darkish blotches, pale-edged dark spot on gill cover.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Outer reef drop-offs, often on sponges, usually below 20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia and Philippines to S.W. Japan.

Many-Spotted Sweetlips

Scientific Name: Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides
Family: Sweetlips - Haemulidae
Maximum Size: 72cm
Identification: Whitish to yellowish or greenish undercolor, unmarked whitish belly; profuse dark brown spots on head, body and fins.
Favourite: Usually solitary.
Hide-out: Often near ledges of coastal reefs, lagoons and seaward slopes in 2-30m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Maldives to Fiji. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Spotted Soapfish

Scientific Name: Pogonoperca punctata
Family: Soapfishes - Serranidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Brown with dense covering of small white spots; 5 black saddles on head, back and tail base; skin flap on chin.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Clear waters of outer reef slopes in 20-120m.
Location: Asian Pacific - S.W. Japan and Indonesia to New Caledonia.

Giant Sweetlips

Scientific Name: Plectorhinchus albovittatus
Family: Sweetlips - Haemulidae
Maximum Size: 100cm
Identification: Dusky gray mottled body; faint wide dark bar behind pectoral fin; black ventral fins and black edges on dorsal, anal and tail fins.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Lagoon and seaward reefs in 2-50m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Fiji. S.W. Japan to Australia.