Species profile—Cyprinocirrhites polyactis (lyretail hawkfish)

Classification

Animalia (animals) → Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) → Cirrhitidae (hawkfishes) → Cyprinocirrhites polyactis (lyretail hawkfish)

Sighting data

Download

KML | CSV | GeoJson

Species details

Kingdom

Animalia (animals)

Class

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Family

Cirrhitidae (hawkfishes)

Scientific name

Cyprinocirrhites polyactis (Bleeker, 1874)

Common name

lyretail hawkfish

WildNet taxon ID

32112

Conservation significant

No

Wetland status

Wetland Dependant Species

Endemicity

Native

Pest status

Nil

Description

The lyretail hawkfish varies from pink to orange to brown in colour. It has a greatly elongated first dorsal ray (in the middle of the fin along the spine) and long lower pectoral rays behind the gills. The tail is half-moon shaped with long upper and lower rays. It has numerous short filaments (cirri) at the tip of each dorsal spine along the backbone. This fish grows to a length of 15cm. It differs from other Australian hawkfish species by having a shorter snout and the half-moon shaped tail fin.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical and warm temperate marine waters of the Indo-west Pacific. In Australia, it is known from Western Australia and from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to southern New South Wales.

Distributional limits

0, 0
0, 0

Species environment

Marine

Habitat

The species inhabits rubble areas on coral reefs and inshore waters. The lyretail hawkfish is also commonly found in deep water in sponge habitats.

Behaviour

Most Australian hawkfish species are usually seen on the bottom; however the lyretail hawkfish is often found swimming high above the bottom where it feeds on zooplankton.

Diet

The lyretail hawkfish feeds on zooplankton.

Notes

Contributors: Mellisa Mayhew 16/10/2008; Wayne Martin 09/11/2008

References

Egerton, L. (ed.) (2005). Encyclopedia of Australian Wildlife, (Revised Edition). Readers Digest Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. (2006). Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Volume 35.2, p. 1346. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood.
McGrouther, M. (2005). Find a Fish: Lyre-tail Hawkfish, Cyprinocirrhites polyactis Bleeker, 1875. Australian Museum, Sydney, accessed 16/10/2008, [http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/cpolyact.htm].

Profile author

Mellisa Mayhew (09/11/2008)

Other resources

Data source

This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.