FISTULARIIDAE


Fistularia commersonii, 27.7 cm SL
(photo by Seishi Kimura)



Fistularia commersonii
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)



Fistularia commersonii, 17.1 cm SL
(from Lombok, Indonesia; photo by Seishi Kimura)


Fistularia commersonii
Rüppell, 1835
Bluespotted Cornetfish

D 14-17; A 14-16; P1 14-16.

Body extremely elongate, slightly depressed; snout prolonged and tubular, posttemporal ridge smooth. No elongate bony plates along midline of back; posterior lateral line ossifications without spines. Forked caudal fin with long whip-like tail filament. Color: brownish to olive above, becoming lighter to silvery below; a pair of blue stripes or rows of blue spots on the back; dorsal and anal fins orange becoming transparent at base; caudal filament white. Juveniles may have dark barred pattern with a dusky caudal fin filament. Size: maximum length about 160 cm, commonly to 100 cm. Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Rapa and Easter Island, north to southern Japan, south to Australia and New Zealand. Often misidentified as F. petimba, a reddish or brownish-orange deep water species with bony plates along dorsal midline. Remarks: most common in seagrass beds and coral reefs in shallow water either solitary or in schools. Feed on small fishes, crustaceans and squids.