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ANIMAL SPECIES:Pennant Bannerfish, Heniochus chrysostomus (Cuvier, 1831)

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The Pennant Bannerfish has three dark bands crossing the body and a yellow snout.  The fish occurs in tropical marine waters of the western and southern Pacific.

Identification

The Pennant Bannerfish can be recognised by its colouration. It is white with a black band crossing the head and extending through the ventral fins. Two brown bands cross the body. The snout is yellow (chryso [Greek] - gold, stoma [Greek] - mouth).

The fourth dorsal fin spine supports an expanded pennant.

Size range

The species grows to 18 cm in length.

Distribution

It is known from the western and southern Pacific. In Australia it is recorded from the central coast of Western Australia around the tropical north (except the Gulf of Carpentaria) and south to southern Queensland.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Pennant Bannerfish specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

The Pennant Bannerfish eats mainly coral polyps.

Classification

Species:
chrysostomus
Genus:
Heniochus
Family:
Chaetodontidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
  2. 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.
  3. Brown, R.W. 1956. Composition of Scientific Words. R. W. Brown. Pp. 882.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  5. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  6. 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: 9 August 2010

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