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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
Range
Northwest Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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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. Broad vertical bars and probing pectoral fin rays; bottom-picking morwong

Where does the Spottedtail morwong live?

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

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. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Spottedtail morwong edible?

Yes, the Spottedtail morwong is commonly eaten.

More photos

Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) — Cheilodactylidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) T.Tanigaki, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) — Cheilodactylidae — 3
unipon (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) — Cheilodactylidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — harum.koh from Kobe city, Japan (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Spottedtail morwong (Cheilodactylus zonatus) — Cheilodactylidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) ゆり魔王, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Spottedtail morwong sourced
Scientific name
Cheilodactylus zonatus
Family
Cheilodactylidae
Other names
Banded morwong; Flag fish; Flagfish; Morwong; White-spot-tail morwong sourced

Appearance

Size class
Large
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
Natural range
Northwest Pacific sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Rocky-reef-dwelling morwong; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Broad vertical bars and probing pectoral fin rays; bottom-picking morwong sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. 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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