(Image credit: Rick Stuart-Smith, Reef Life Survey)

Body is black with a vertical white "keyhole shaped" marking behind the head and pectoral fins on both sides.This marking is how the species obtained it's common name. Dorsal and anal fins are large and can overlap the caudal fin making the fish seem oval in shape. Anal fin is yellow along the margin. A thin blue line running along the posterior edges of the dorsal fin, the entire edge of the caudal fin and through the centre of the anal fin develops as the fish matures.

Length: Up to 18 cm

Habitat

Shallow protected reefs in ledges and around rocky boulders; 1-30 m depth

Log it

In New South Wales, log if spotted south of Smokey Cape

Related links/info

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/

http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/search?q=Centropyge+tibicen; Randall, Allen, Steene