Fiveline Cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Cuvier, 1828

Scientific name: Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus
Alternative name/s:
Five-line Cardinal, Fiveband Cardinalfish
  • Author(s)
    Mark McGrouther
  • Updated
    12/03/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Fiveline Cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Click to enlarge image
A Fiveline Cardinalfish at a depth of 8 m, Mantis Reef, Wreck Bay, far northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, 30 November 2001. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Cheilodipterus
    Species
    quinquelineatus
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 12 cm in length.

Introduction

The Fiveline Cardinalfish is whitish with five black stripes on the sides of the body. It is found in tropical (and some temperate) waters of the Indo-West Pacific.

Identification

The Fiveline Cardinalfish is whitish with five black stripes on the sides of the body. The caudal peduncle is yellow with a black spot at the base of the middle rays of the caudal fin. The species has large canine teeth.

Habitat

The Fiveline Cardinalfish occurs on coral and rocky reefs.

Distribution

The Fiveline Cardinalfish occurs in tropical (and some temperate) waters of the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is known from southern Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the central coast of New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  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. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  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.