Caesio varilineata (Variable-lined fusilier)
Identification
Silvery blue with 2-6 yellow stripes, black streak or blotch near the tip of each tail lobe, forms aggregations, often mixed with other species of fusiliers.
Status
Common.
Habitat
East Africa, Red Sea, Arabian (Persian) Gulf, the Maldives to North-West Indonesia. Inhabits the upper edge of deep lagoons and seaward reefs in a depth range of 2-25 meters.
Reproduction
Oviparous breeding, with numerous, small pelagic eggs.
Size
Up to 40cm.
Prey / Predation
They feed on zooplankton in large aggregations.
Special features
This genus was named after the silver/blue metallic element (Cs) by the French biologist Georges Cuvier.
