Rhinecanthus rectangulus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Tetraodontiformes (Pufferfishes and Allies)
Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Rhinecanthus
Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep. Body orange-brown above; head and belly white; soft dorsal, anal and pectoral fins pale; caudal fin dusky (Ref. 4420).
Description: Characterized by presence of black band through eye connecting expansive black area between pectoral and anal fin bases; caudal peduncle/posterior body with distinctive black triangular mark; absence of groove in front of eye; nearly straight dorsal and ventral profiles of head; caudal peduncle and adjacent posterior body with 4-5 horizontal rows of small, anterior projecting spines; rounded caudal fin (Ref. 90102).
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to East Africa through Indonesia and northern Australia up to Hawaii and Pitcairn islands; north to southern Japan.
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 0-20 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Occur in shallow outer reefs subject to surge (Ref. 9770, 48637). Commonly found over barren rock or the spur-and-groove zone where there is a mixture of bare rock, rubble, and coral. Juveniles on algae reef (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feed on algae, detritus, mollusks, crustaceans, worms, echinoderms, fishes, sponges, foraminiferans, and eggs. Territorial. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Also taken by drive-in nets (Ref. 9770). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Max length: 30.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy; guarders (nesters). Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022-01-14. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Thresher, R.E. (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune City, New Jersey. 399 p.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Randall, J.E. (1985) Guide to Hawaiian reef fishes. Harrowood Books, Newtown Square, PA 19073, USA. 74 p.
Smith, M.M. and P.C. Heemstra (1986) Balistidae. p. 876-882. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Matsuura, K. (2001) Balistidae. Triggerfishes. p. 3911-3928. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.
Sommer, C., W. Schneider and J.-M. Poutiers (1996) FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of Somalia. FAO, Rome. 376 p.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
Matsuura, K. (2015) Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol. Res. 62(1):72-113. DOI: 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
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