Colours

Distinguishing features

Identified by the dark vertical bar below the eye. Usually with 5 dark bars when adult and belly of female turns red. Juveniles with black anal fin and two large ocelli, thinly edged with white, in dorsal fin. First two dorsal spines form a separate fin. Juveniles this fin forms a long, bannerlike filament but shortens with age (FishBase).

Size

Depth range

Synonyms

Distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Usually solitary in lagoon and seaward reef areas with fine to loose, coarse sand bottoms. Juveniles sometimes in shallow estuaries. Adults rare in less than 20 m (FishBase).

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