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Black-tipped Fusilier
Pterocaesio digramma (Bleeker, 1865)
Black-tipped Fusiliers at a depth of 12m, "Phil's Reef", Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, December, 1999. View larger image.
A Black-tipped Fusilier in night colouration at a depth of 12m, Anderson Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, November, 1998. View larger image.
The Black-tipped Fusilier is usually recognised by its colouration. During the day it is blue to green dorsally, white ventrally and has black caudal fin tips. At night the colouration changes to that seen in the lower image.
There are always two yellow stripes running along the sides of the body. The upper stripe runs from the nape (glossary) to the caudal peduncle, following the dorsal body profile. The lower stripe follows the lateral line (fish figure) from the eye to the caudal fin base.
The Black-tipped Fusilier grows to about 30cm in length.
This species is found on coral reefs where it schools in midwater.
It is recorded from Indonesia to New Caledonia and north to southern Japan. In Australia it occurs off central to north-western Western Australia and from northern Queensland to the central coast of New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
This fish is also commonly known as the Double-lined Fusilier. It is often listed in publications as P.diagramma (with an 'a' as the third letter). This spelling is incorrect.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- 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.
- Carpenter, K. E. 1988. FAO species catalog. Vol. 8. Fusilier fishes of the World. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of caesionid species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. No. 125: i-iv + 1-75.
