• English Name :Long-nosed butterflyfish
  • LocalName: Thundhigu bibee
  • Size : Max. 22 cm
  • Family : CHAETODONTIDAE
  • Order: Perciformes
  • Distinctive Characters: Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 24-28 rays. Anal fin with 3 spines and 17-20 rays. Pectoral fin with 14 or 15 rays. Body depth 1.9-2.5 in standard length. Snout extremely long; even longer than that of F. flavissimus. Mouth with a little gape.
  • Colour: Bright yellow. Black spot on anal fin below tail. Head black above and white below. Black dots on white area in front of pectoral fin. This species also has a dark brown colour phase.
  • Habitat and Biology: Commonly found in outer reef slopes to depths of 30 m. Occurs singly or in small groups. Feeds on hydroids, small crustaceans, polychaetes and other worms.
  • Distribution: Indo-Pacific.
  • Remarks: Unless dead specimens are available, it is rather difficult to tell Forcipiger longirostris from the related F. flavissimus. There is, however, one fairly simple field method. In F. longirostris the distance from the tip of the snout to the back of black mask is equal to or longer than the length of yellow part of the body whereas in F. flavissimus it is noticeably shorter.
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Biodiversity of Maldives
Biodiversity of Maldives