Common Name: Tiger Cardinalfish

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and East Africa to Pitcairn, north to the Ryuku Islands, south to Lord Howe and Rapa. In Australia recorded from northern Western Australia across the tropical north to Queensland, south to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coastal reef and rocky estuaries to 30 m depth. During daylight hours stays in caves or under ledges.

Additional Notes: Pale body has eight broad brown stripes, tail fin sometimes with dark upper and lower margins. Juveniles have yellow head and large black blotch on tail base. Feed primarily on small fishes. Grows to 25 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.123.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Cheilodipterus-macrodon.html. Accessed 11/05/18.