Common Name: Whitetail Puller

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region from Christmas Island and north Western Australia to Line and Tuamoto Islands in the Pacific. In Australia recorded north from Shark Bay in Western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents exposed seaward mixed algae and coral or rocky reefs. Prefer exposed seaward reefs, less abundant in lagoons and channels. Depth to at least 20 m.

Additional Notes: Transition from white to black occurs at rear of dorsal and anal fin, distinguishing from C. iomelas, (Half and half Puller). Feed on plankton in the water column. Oviparous, pairing during breeding, after which eggs deposited on the substrate, where they are guarded and aerated by the males. Grows to 9 cm. 

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.250.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Chromis-margaritifer.html. Accessed 14/05/18.