Barred Soapfish, Diploprion bifasciatum (Kuhl & Hasselt, 1828)

ANIMAL SPECIES:Barred Soapfish, Diploprion bifasciatum (Kuhl & Hasselt, 1828)

The Barred Soapfish can be recognised by its pale to bright yellow colouring, black bar on the head and a wide black bar on it's body. It occurs primarily in tropical inshore and coral reef waters.

Alternative Name/s

Two-banded Soapfish, Yellow Emperor.

Identification

The Barred Soapfish has a moderately deep body that is mostly covered with small ctenoid scales. There is a deep notch between the spinous and soft-rayed portions of the dorsal fin. The pelvic fins are long, reaching beyond the spinous portion of the anal fin.

The species is pale to bright yellow with a black bar on the head and a wide black bar on the body.

Size range

It grows to about 25 cm in length.

Distribution

The Barred Soapfish occurs in the Western Pacific. In Australia is known from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to the central coast of New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Barred Soapfish specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Barred Soapfish is a benthic species that occurs primarily in tropical inshore and coral reef waters.

Classification

Species:: bifasciatum
Genus:: Diploprion
Family:: Serranidae
Order:: Perciformes
Class:: Actinopterygii
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 30 January 2012

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