Ctenochaetus striatus is one of the most common reef fishes, but its dull coloration can make it easily overlooked. It is similar to C. strigosus (on the next page), but can be distinguished by its coloration, caudal fin shape, and fin counts.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 26 cm
color
Dark brown with blue longitudinal lines on body and orange dots on head. Dark blue bands on dorsal and anal fins.
This species can be found everywhere, from sheltered lagoons to coral reefs in the ocean. It can be seen alone or in groups of varying sizes, up to 30 m deep. It feeds on debris, using its comb-like teeth.
distinctive characters
The dorsal fin has 8 spines and 27-31 rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 24-28 rays, the pectoral rays range from 16-17, the body depth is 1.9-2.3 times the standard length, the teeth are movable, and the caudal fin is lunate.