Fusiliers
Fusiliers are members of the Caesionidae family. They are distributed in the Indo-West Pacific water. They are marine fishes that inhabit mostly on coral reefs and occur near the surface to depths of 60 m. The fusiliers can be recognized by their protractile small mouth and deeply forked caudal fin. Their appearance is closely related to Paracaesio genus in the snappers family.
Fusiliers feed by picking zooplankton. They occur in large schools in mid-water over the reef, along steep outer reef slopes and around deep lagoon pinnacles. More than one species can be found together in a school. They are active swimmers during daytime and shelter within the reef at night.
There are 4 genera and about 22 species of Caesionidae worldwide. Malaysia has all 4 genera and about 15 species.
Fusiliers feed by picking zooplankton. They occur in large schools in mid-water over the reef, along steep outer reef slopes and around deep lagoon pinnacles. More than one species can be found together in a school. They are active swimmers during daytime and shelter within the reef at night.
There are 4 genera and about 22 species of Caesionidae worldwide. Malaysia has all 4 genera and about 15 species.
Scientific Name: Caesio caerulaurea Lacepède, 1801
English Name: Blue And Gold Fusilier
Mandarin Name: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 乌尾鮗 (Wū wěi dōng)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Pisang-pisang, Sulit, Delah Biru Emas
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาเหลืองปล้องหม้อ (Plā h̄elụ̄xng pl̂xng h̄m̂x)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: A single yellow stripe above lateral line bordered directly above and below by white or light blue stripe. Caudal fin lobes with black or blue median streaks.
Size: Maximum total length about 35 cm, commonly to 25 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, 2 to 40 m depth. Schools in large aggregations. Schools together with other caesionids. Feeds by picking zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791)
English Name: Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier
French Name: Caesio ventre rouge
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 番薯鱼 (Fānshǔ yú), 黄尾鱼 (Huáng wěi yú)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Pinang, Bagan, Sulit
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยญี่ปุ่น (Plā kl̂wy ỵī̀pùn), ปลากลัวยทัองแดง (Plā kl̂wy tĥxng dæng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Caudal fin, upper caudal peduncle and posterior portion of back yellow in colour. Upper body, where not yellow is in greyish blue. Lower sides, belly, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins white to pink colour. Axil and upper base of pectoral fins black.
Size: Maximum total length about 60 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Rocky and coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in small and large aggregations. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Caesio teres Seale, 1906
English Name: Yellow and Blueback Fusilier
French Name: Fusilier à dos jaune et bleu
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 蓝黄梅鲷 (Lán huáng méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Remong, Bagan, Sulit
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยฟ้าท้ายเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy f̂ā tĥāy h̄elụ̄xng), ปลากล้วยฟ้าครีบเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy f̂ā khrīb h̄elụ̄xng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Body fusiform and compressed, not as deep as Caesio cuning. Bright yellow on caudal fin, caudal peduncle, and body above a diagonal from just anterior to dorsal-fin origin to ventral origin of caudal peduncle.
Size: Maximum size about 40 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in small and large aggregations with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio chrysozona (Cuvier, 1830)
English Name: Goldband Fusilier, Yellowband Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 金带乌尾鮗 (Jīn dài wū wěi dong), 金带梅鲷 (Jīn dài méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Sulit Jalur Emas
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยข้างเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy k̄ĥāng h̄elụ̄xng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Body light blue to brownish dorsally, white to pinkish ventrally. Broad yellow stripe directly below lateral line for most its length, except above lateral line on caudal peduncle. Tips of caudal fin lobes black.
Size: Maximum total length about 21 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, 2 to 25 m depth. Schools in large aggregations together with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio digramma (Bleeker, 1864)
English Name: Double-lined Fusilier, Double Stripe Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 双带乌尾鮗 (Shuāng dài wū wěi dong), 双带梅鲷 (Shuāng dài méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Sulit Dwijalur
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยเขียวสองแถบ (Plā kl̂wy k̄heīyw s̄xng t̄hæb)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: 2 longitudinal yellow stripes. The lower stripe crosses over the lateral line but not running on the lateral line for most of its length. Tips of caudal-fin lobes black
Size: Maximum size about 35 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 30 m depth. Schools in aggregations together with other species of Pterocaesio. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio tile (Cuvier, 1830)
English Name: Dark-banded Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 蒂尔乌尾鮗 (Dì ěr wū wěi dong), 长背梅鲷 (Zhǎng bèi méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Karang, Sulit Jalur Hitam
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยแถบ (Plā kl̂wy t̄hæb)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Lateral line covered for most of its length by a black stripe. Caudal fin with a black streak within each lobe. Scales above lateral line bluish green in their center and black on their margins, giving the appearance of a checkered pattern.
Size: Maximum size about 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in aggregations, sometimes together with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
English Name: Blue And Gold Fusilier
Mandarin Name: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 乌尾鮗 (Wū wěi dōng)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Pisang-pisang, Sulit, Delah Biru Emas
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลาเหลืองปล้องหม้อ (Plā h̄elụ̄xng pl̂xng h̄m̂x)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: A single yellow stripe above lateral line bordered directly above and below by white or light blue stripe. Caudal fin lobes with black or blue median streaks.
Size: Maximum total length about 35 cm, commonly to 25 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, 2 to 40 m depth. Schools in large aggregations. Schools together with other caesionids. Feeds by picking zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791)
English Name: Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier
French Name: Caesio ventre rouge
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 番薯鱼 (Fānshǔ yú), 黄尾鱼 (Huáng wěi yú)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Pinang, Bagan, Sulit
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยญี่ปุ่น (Plā kl̂wy ỵī̀pùn), ปลากลัวยทัองแดง (Plā kl̂wy tĥxng dæng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Caudal fin, upper caudal peduncle and posterior portion of back yellow in colour. Upper body, where not yellow is in greyish blue. Lower sides, belly, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins white to pink colour. Axil and upper base of pectoral fins black.
Size: Maximum total length about 60 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Rocky and coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in small and large aggregations. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Caesio teres Seale, 1906
English Name: Yellow and Blueback Fusilier
French Name: Fusilier à dos jaune et bleu
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 蓝黄梅鲷 (Lán huáng méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Remong, Bagan, Sulit
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยฟ้าท้ายเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy f̂ā tĥāy h̄elụ̄xng), ปลากล้วยฟ้าครีบเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy f̂ā khrīb h̄elụ̄xng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Body fusiform and compressed, not as deep as Caesio cuning. Bright yellow on caudal fin, caudal peduncle, and body above a diagonal from just anterior to dorsal-fin origin to ventral origin of caudal peduncle.
Size: Maximum size about 40 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in small and large aggregations with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio chrysozona (Cuvier, 1830)
English Name: Goldband Fusilier, Yellowband Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 金带乌尾鮗 (Jīn dài wū wěi dong), 金带梅鲷 (Jīn dài méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Sulit Jalur Emas
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยข้างเหลือง (Plā kl̂wy k̄ĥāng h̄elụ̄xng)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Body light blue to brownish dorsally, white to pinkish ventrally. Broad yellow stripe directly below lateral line for most its length, except above lateral line on caudal peduncle. Tips of caudal fin lobes black.
Size: Maximum total length about 21 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, 2 to 25 m depth. Schools in large aggregations together with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio digramma (Bleeker, 1864)
English Name: Double-lined Fusilier, Double Stripe Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 双带乌尾鮗 (Shuāng dài wū wěi dong), 双带梅鲷 (Shuāng dài méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Pinang-pinang, Sulit Dwijalur
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยเขียวสองแถบ (Plā kl̂wy k̄heīyw s̄xng t̄hæb)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: 2 longitudinal yellow stripes. The lower stripe crosses over the lateral line but not running on the lateral line for most of its length. Tips of caudal-fin lobes black
Size: Maximum size about 35 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 30 m depth. Schools in aggregations together with other species of Pterocaesio. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
Scientific Name: Pterocaesio tile (Cuvier, 1830)
English Name: Dark-banded Fusilier
Mandarin Name | 鱼类中文名: 豆腐鱼 (Dòufu yú), 蒂尔乌尾鮗 (Dì ěr wū wěi dong), 长背梅鲷 (Zhǎng bèi méi diāo)
Local Malay Name: Ikan Delah, Delah Karang, Sulit Jalur Hitam
Thai Name | ชื่อสามัญภาษาไทย: ปลากล้วยแถบ (Plā kl̂wy t̄hæb)
Local Hokkien: Tau Hoo
Local Teochew: Tau Hoo
Main Identification Features: Lateral line covered for most of its length by a black stripe. Caudal fin with a black streak within each lobe. Scales above lateral line bluish green in their center and black on their margins, giving the appearance of a checkered pattern.
Size: Maximum size about 30 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Coral reefs, to 60 m depth. Schools in aggregations, sometimes together with other caesionids. Feeds primarily on zooplankton.
