Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 86997), usually 0 - 15 m (Ref. 5288). Tropical
Southeast Atlantic: Known only from the Ascension and St. Helena Islands (Ref. 4855). Recorded from Canary Is. from 2 individuals most likely introduced (Ref. 52678).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 18.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2272)
Common in shallow waters. Usually observed in pairs or large groups. Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). Called a cunning fish since it can nibble the bait from a hook without taking the hook into its mouth. The juvenile Thalassoma sanctaehelenae has been observed cleaning the cunningfish of its parasites (Ref. 5288).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205). Monogamous mating is observed as both obligate and social (Ref. 52884).
Maugé, L.A., 1990. Chaetodontidae. p. 837-840. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 6943)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02291 (0.01133 - 0.04632), b=3.00 (2.83 - 3.17), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
