Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791)
Redbelly yellowtail fusilier
photo by Greenfield, J.

Family:  Caesionidae (Fusiliers), subfamily: Caesioninae
Max. size:  60 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 60 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Sri Lanka to Vanuatu; southern Japan to northern Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 10-12. Deep-bodied (Ref. 48636). Scales center lighter than margins; lower 1/3 white, sometimes suffused by pink; prominent black markings on caudal fin absent. 4-5 scales on cheek; predorsal scales 20-26; scaled dorsal and anal fins. Upper peduncular scale rows 9-11; lower peduncular scale rows usually 12-14. Distinguished from C. teres in having a continuous supra-temporal band of scales across the dorsal midline. Basioccipital process for attachment of Baudelot's ligament absent. Post maxillary process single; posterior end of maxilla blunt. Color: Upper body if not yellow, grayish blue; lower sides and belly white or pinkish. Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins white to pink. Large yellow tail. Dorsal fin yellow posteriorly and grayish blue anteriorly. Length usually at 35 cm (Ref. 48636). Head length 2.8-3.6 in SL; body depth 3.0-4.2 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Often in silty areas with low visibility at 1-30 m depth (Ref. 90102). Inhabits coastal areas, usually over rocky and coral reefs. Forms schools in midwater and feeds on zooplankton. Oviparous, with numerous, small pelagic eggs (Ref. 402). Taken primarily by handline in Sri Lanka; caught mostly by fish traps in western Thailand and Malaysia; caught in trawls in the Gulf of Thailand; caught by a variety of methods including drive-in nets, fish traps and gill nets in Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. The most ancestral living caesionid species.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 06 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 


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