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Singular Bannerfish
Heniochus singularius Smith & Radcliffe, 1911
The side of the Singular Bannerfish has a diffuse white bar with dark scale centres. This is bordered in front and behind by black bars. There is a dark bar through the eye and another encircling the snout.
A white filament extends from the fourth dorsal fin spine. The remainder of the dorsal fin and caudal fin are both yellow.
There is a prominent hump on the nape (glossary).
This species grows to 25cm in length.
It eats coral polyps, benthic invertebrates and algae.
The Singular Bannerfish is found in tropical marine waters throughout the Indo-West and Central Pacific.
In Australia it occurs from central to north-western Western Australia and from the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
- Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
