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Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) — Cheilodactylidae

Spottedtail morwong

Cheilodactylus zonatus

The Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) is a fish of the family Cheilodactylidae that grows up to 45 cm.

Length
45 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The spottedtail morwong is a morwong (Cheilodactylidae) from temperate rocky reefs of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 45 cm and has a deep, whitish body with broad red-brown crossbars and elongate, lower pectoral-fin rays that feel over the bottom. As a bottom-oriented reef-dweller it picks small invertebrates from sand and crevices. It is a food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spottedtail morwong?

The Spottedtail morwong is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Spottedtail morwong live?

The Spottedtail morwong is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Spottedtail morwong get?

The Spottedtail morwong grows to a maximum of about 45 cm. On average the species is around 27 cm.

Is the Spottedtail morwong dangerous to humans?

No, the Spottedtail morwong is harmless to humans.

Is the Spottedtail morwong edible?

Yes, the Spottedtail morwong is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gebande morwong sourced
English name
Spottedtail morwong sourced
Scientific name
Cheilodactylus zonatus
Family
Cheilodactylidae
Other names
Banded morwong sourced

Appearance

Max length (cm)
45.0 verified
Average length (cm)
27.0 sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Cheilodactylus

More from the family Cheilodactylidae

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