Blue and gold fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea)

General data

Main name: Blue and gold fusilier
Local names: Scissor-tailed fusilier, Scissor tailed fusilier, Gold-banded fusilier, Gold-band fusilier, Blue-and-gold fusilier, Blue fusiler
Climates: Tropical, Subtropical
Habitat: Saltwater
Native: Africa, Asia, Australia & Oceania
Distribution: Indian ocean, South China Sea, Pacific Ocean, Red sea

Classification

Caesio caeruaurea has a quite deep, fusiform, elongated body which shows moderate lateral compression. There are small conical teeth in the jaws as well as on the vomer and the palatine.

The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 14–16 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 10–12 soft rays. The dorsal and anal fins have scales.

This species attains a maximum total length of 35 cm (14 in), although 25 cm (9.8 in) is more typical.

The overall colour of this fusilier is bluish fusilier changing to white on the underside. There is a yellow or golden stripe over the lateral line bordered on both sides by a thin white to pale blue stripe which continues as blackish streaks on both lobes of the forked caudal fin, creating the appearance of scissors.

Caesio caerulaurea has a wide distribution in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. It is found along the eastern coast of Africa from the Red Sea as far south as South Africa then east along through the Indian Ocean, although it is absent from the Persian Gulf into the Pacific. In the Pacific Ocean their range extends east as far as French Polynesia, northwards to southern Japan and south as far as Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

In Australia it is found from Shark Bay in Western Australia north to Cassini Island, the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea and from the northern Great Barrier Reef off, Queensland south to Sydney. It also occurs at Christmas Island and Lord Howe Island.

It occurs at depths between 2 and 40 m (6 ft 7 in and 131 ft 3 in).

This species occurs on coastal, lagoon and seaward reefs, typically where there is a healthy growth of corals.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Actinistia - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
    
    Percidae - Perches->
    
    Pomatomidae - Bluefishes->
    
    Serranidae - Sea basses->
    
    Pomacentridae - Damsel and clownfishes->
    
    Latidae - Lates perches->
    
    Centropomidae - Snooks->
    
    Lutjanidae - Snappers->
    
    Haemulidae - Grunts->
    
    Artedidraconidae - Barbled plunderfishes->
    
    Embiotocidae - Surfperches->
    
    Glaucosomatidae - Pearl perches->
    
    Malacanthidae - Tilefishes->
    
    Polynemidae - Threadfin->
    
    Gerreidae - Mojarras->
    
    Priacanthidae - Bigeyes->
    
    Monodactylidae - Moonyfishes->
    
    Centrogenyidae - False scorpionfishes->
    
    Epinephelidae - Groupers->
    
    Cebidichthyidae - Cebidichthyidae->
    
    Anthiadidae - Anthiadidae->
    
    Ambassidae - Asiatic glassfishes->
    
    Bathydraconidae - Antarctic dragonfishes->
    
    Bembropidae - Duckbill flatheads->
    
    Bovichtidae - Thornfishes->
    
    Caesionidae - Fusiliers->
    
    Caesio - Caesio->
    
    Blue and gold fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea)
    
    Redbelly yellowtail fusilier (Caesio cuning)
    
    Lunar fusilier (Caesio lunaris)
    
    Striated fusilier (Caesio striata)
    
    Suez fusilier (Caesio suevica)
    
    Yellow and blueback fusilier (Caesio teres)
    
    Variable-lined fusilier (Caesio varilineata)
    
    Goldsash fusilier (Caesio xanthalytos)
    
    Yellowback fusilier (Caesio xanthonota)
    
    Dipterygonotus - Dipterygonotus->
    
    Gymnocaesio - Gymnocaesio->
    
    Pterocaesio - Pterocaesio->
    
    Caesioscorpididae - Blowhole perches->
    
    Centracanthidae - Picarels->
    
    Cepolidae - Bandfishes->
    
    Channichthyidae - Crocodile icefishes->
    
    Congrogadidae - Eelblennies->
    
    Datnioididae - Freshwater tripletails->
    
    Dinopercidae - Cavebasses->
    
    Eleginopidae - Patagonian blennies->
    
    Grammatidae - Basslets->
    
    Grammistidae - Soapfishes->
    
    Hapalogenyidae - Barbeled grunters->
    
    Harpagiferidae - Spiny plunderfishes->
    
    Lactariidae - False trevallies->
    
    Latilidae - Deepwater tilefishes->
    
    Leptobramidae - Beachsalmon->
    
    Liopropomatidae - Painted basslets->
    
    Niphonidae - Ara groupers->
    
    Nototheniidae - Cod icefishes->
    
    Opistognathidae - Jawfishes->
    
    Oxylebiinae - Painted greenlings->
    
    Plesiopidae - Roundheads->
    
    Pseudaphritidae - Catadromous icefishes->
    
    Pseudochromidae - Dottybacks->
    
    Ptereleotridae - Dartfishes->
    
    Toxotidae - Archerfishes->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipnoi - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons and Paddlefishes->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->

Blue and gold fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea)

General data

Classification

Taxonomy of Fishes

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