Territorial, inhabit shallow lagoon and subtidal reef flats. Form large aggregations above staghorn Acropora thickets or in smaller groups above isolated coral heads. Feed on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and algae. Males invite females to spawn in their nests; protecting the eggs until they hatch and becoming very aggressive against other fish. Eggs hatch after 3-5 days; pelagic larvae feed on plankton (Ref. 5503). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Used in behavioral study. Have been reared in captivity (Ref. 35412).

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Line, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Sydney, Australia.

Chagos, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Red Sea, Reunion, Seychelles, South Africa (country), Tanzania

Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mascarenes east to Wake Atoll, Marquesas Islands and Gambier Islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Western Australia, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia and Rapa.

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 13; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 11 - 13

Maximum size: 100 mm TL

10.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 4391)); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 72479)

Color in life white with 3 black bars; a large brown spot on dorsal part of snout and interorbital; lips dusky or white; caudal fin pale; pelvic fins black; pectorals transparent. Margins of preorbital, suborbital, and preoperculum finely serrated.

Territorial, inhabits shallow lagoon and subtidal reef flats. Forms large aggregations above staghorn @Acropora@ thickets or in smaller groups above isolated coral heads. Feeds on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and algae. Males invite females to spawn in their nests; protecting the eggs until they hatch and becoming very aggressive against other fish. Eggs hatch after 3-5 days; pelagic larvae feeds on plankton (Ref. 5503).

reef-associated; non-migratory; marine; depth range 0 - 20 m (Ref. 9710)

Depth range based on 190 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 152 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0.15 - 28
  Temperature range (°C): 22.496 - 29.336
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.043 - 2.517
  Salinity (PPS): 32.019 - 36.148
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.271 - 5.079
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.079 - 0.495
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.721 - 5.501

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0.15 - 28

Temperature range (°C): 22.496 - 29.336

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.043 - 2.517

Salinity (PPS): 32.019 - 36.148

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.271 - 5.079

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.079 - 0.495

Silicate (umol/l): 0.721 - 5.501
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 0 - 20m.
Recorded at 20 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated. Zebra humbug.  (Linnaeus, 1758) Attains 10 cm. A distinctive species with a white body and three black bars. The front bar follows the shape of the head and the middle bar is angled backwards. Commonly forms aggregations of 30 or more fish which shelter among branched madreporian corals on sheltered reefs in 1 - 20 metres. When they feel threatened the dart in unison for shelter among the coral branches. Feeds mainly on attached algae, fish eggs and various benthic animals. Nests at the base of coral. Southeastern Polynesia and Line Islands to Red Sea down to East Africa south to Northern Natal. Although it has been recorded down to Durban, it is rare south of Inhaca Island in Mozambique.

Occurs inshore (Ref. 75154). Territorial, inhabits shallow lagoon and subtidal reef flats. Forms large aggregations above staghorn Acropora thickets or in smaller groups above isolated coral heads. Feeds on plants and invertebrates (Ref. 6110). Harem-type social structure observed with 1 male & several females with linear size dependent rank order; male spawned with the females in order of rank & may attempt to male with females from nearby territories. Male & largest female protect the home territory. It is associated with coral heads (usually Acropora or Pocillopora) that have a tree-like form, allowing the fish to retreat deep within the branches. Humbug lives only where the coral heads are interspersed with sandy patches, usually in protected lagoons or sheltered bays, only occasionally on outer slopes (Ref. 54301).

Male selects and protects the nest; does the courtship `dance' about 1 m above the nest and escorts the attracted female to the nest site where spawning ensues (Ref. 33146). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 29 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 16
Specimens with Barcodes: 30
Species With Barcodes: 1

Genomic DNA is available from 1 specimen with morphological vouchers housed at British Antarctic Survey

Not Evaluated

fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial