Cockatoo Waspfish

Ablabys taenianotus

Dorsal fin is like a sail, beginning above the eyes and extending to the tail stalk. The colouration is variable, yellow to dark brown, the face sometimes contrasting.
Brown specimens usually do not sit on high-contrast ground, but rather on dark sand or fine rubble. They are well camouflaged on such ground and from some distance they are easily mistaken for withered leaves.

Size : 15 cm

Habitat : Inhabits protected sand, mud and rubble, 1-80 m. Alone or in pairs. Sways sideways in order to imitate a dead leaf.

Distribution : Andaman Sea to SW Japan, Palau, SE Australia and Fiji.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Actinopterygii

ORDER

:

Perciformes

FAMILY

:

Synanceiidae

GENUS

:

Ablabys

SPECIES

:

Ablabys taenianotus

Other Information

Population Status

Not Evaluated (NE)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner