Twospot Bristletooth Click to enlarge image
A Twospot Bristletooth at a depth of 22m, "Lighthouse", Ribbon Reef #10, Great Barrier Reef, off Lizard Island, Queensland, June 2002. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Ctenochaetus
    Species
    binotatus
    Family
    Acanthuridae
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The Two-spot Bristletooth grows to 22 cm in length.

Introduction

The Twospot Bristletooth has a black spot at the rear base of the dorsal and anal fins. The species occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.

Identification

The Twospot Bristletooth is orange-brown with fine blue lines. It has blue eyes, blue spots on the head and thorax and a black spot at the rear base of the dorsal and anal fins.

The species has comb-like teeth with up to 42 teeth in the upper jaw and 45 teeth in the lower jaw. It has a single caudal peduncle spine that can be retracted into a groove.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the offshore islands of north-western Australia and from the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland. Juveniles are sometimes carried as far south as the central coast of New South Wales by the Eastern Australian Current.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. 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. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  3. Kuiter, R.H & H. Debelius. 2001. Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and their relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Acanthuroidei. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.