Aeoliscus strigatus (Günther, 1861)
Razorfish
Aeoliscus strigatus
photo by Randall, J.E.

 Family:  Centriscidae (Snipefishes and shrimpfishes), subfamily: Centriscinae
 Max. size:  15 cm TL (male/unsexed)
 Environment:  reef-associated; depth range 2 - 42 m
 Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Tanzania (Ref. 51015) and Seychelles (Ref. 1623); then from southern Japan to New South Wales, Australia eastward to Vanuatu.
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-10; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-12. Recognized by hinged part of dorsal fin spine. Variable in color with habitat. Greenish-yellow with diffused stripe when in seagrass environment. Pale with black stripe when found on open substrate with white sand or rubble (Ref. 48635). Description: Characterized by extremely thin or flattened and nearly transparent body; snout through eye, to base of caudal fin with dark brown to blackish stripe; horizontal first dorsal spine, projecting beyond tail tip, posterior part with movable segment; striated interorbital without groove (Ref. 90102).
 Biology:  Form schools among the spines of Diadema or staghorn corals, and feed on minute crustaceans in the zooplankton. Remarkable for their strange body shape and swimming habit: the body is encased in an armor of thin, transparent plates; they swim in synchronized groups, each fish in a vertical position with the snout pointing downwards.
 IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient  (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Capuli, Estelita Emily - 03.11.92
 Modified by: Valdestamon, Roxanne Rei - 01.03.13
 Checked by: Froese, Rainer - 29.03.94

Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.


Page created by Jen, 05.08.02, php script by kbanasihan 06/09/2010 ,  last modified by dsantos, 20/08/10