The double-lined fusilier (''Pterocaesio digramma''), also known as the double stripe fusilier or blacktipped fusilier, is a species of marine

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

, a fusilier belonging to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Caesionidae. It is widespread around reefs in the Indo-West Pacific region.

Taxonomy

The double-lined fusilier was first formally described as ''Caesio digramma'' in 1865 by the Dutch

ichthyologist Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish ( Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 33,400 species of fish had been described as of Octobe ...

Pieter Bleeker Pieter Bleeker (10 July 1819 – 24 January 1878) was a Dutch medical doctor, ichthyologist, and herpetologist. He was famous for the ''Atlas Ichthyologique des Indes Orientales Néêrlandaises'', his monumental work on the fishes of East Asia ...

with the type locality given as

Ambon Island Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of two territories: the city of Ambon, Maluku, Ambon to the south and various districts ('' ...

in Indonesia. In his 1987 review of the Caesionidae,

Kent E. Carpenter Dr. Kent E. Carpenter is a professor of biological sciences at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, Virginia, who is notable for having two fish species named in his honor, '' Paracheilinus carpenteri'' Randall and Lubbock 1981, popularly known as " ...

placed this species within the

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

''Pisinnicaesio''. The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

''digramma'' means “two lined”, a reference to the two yellow stripes on each side of the body, one on its back and one on its flanks.

Description

The double-lined fusilier has a

fusiform Fusiform means having a spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends. It is similar to the lemon-shape, but often implies a focal broadening of a structure that continues from one or both ends, such as an aneurysm on a b ...

and elongated body which is moderately laterally compressed. There are small conical teeth in the jaws and on the vomer and palatines. The

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

contains 10 spines and 14-16 soft rays while the

anal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

has 3 spines and 11-12 soft rays. There are scales on both the dorsal and anal fins. There are 20-22 rays in the

pectoral fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

s. This species attains a maximum

total length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...

of . The overall colour is bluish-green lightening towards the lower body. There are a pair of slender yellow stripes along the back and middle of the flank. The

caudal fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...

lobes have dark tips. The more ventral yellow stripe is mainly underneath the

lateral line The lateral line, also called the lateral line organ (LLO), is a system of sensory organs found in fish, used to detect movement, vibration, and pressure gradients in the surrounding water. The sensory ability is achieved via modified epithelial ...

, apart from the portion on the caudal peduncle.

Distribution and habitat

The double-lined fusilier is found in the Western Pacific Ocean where it occurs from Indonesia,

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

and

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

to southern Japan. It has also been recorded off

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

and in Tonga. The record from

Réunion Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...

is probably a mis-identified '' Pterocaesio marri''. It occurs in coastal waters at depths down to , mainly around coral reefs.

Biology

Double-lined fusiliers feed on

zooplankton Zooplankton are the animal component of the planktonic community ("zoo" comes from the Greek word for ''animal''). Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents, and consequently drift or are carried along by ...

in midwater where they gather in large schools. They are oviparous laying many small pelagic eggs. Spawning takes place close to sunset when the spawning fish break away from the school, usually followed by “sneaker” males. A male selects a female and starts to push at and nip at her belly before pushing her and then the pair start to swim in half circles around each other This is when up to 15 sneaker males join in as it is now that the initial pair release eggs and sperm while belly to belly at the surface. The sneakers closest to the pair also release their sperm at this point then the pair and the sneakers return to the school.

Fisheries

The double-lined fusilier is subjected to heavy fishing pressure in many parts of its range. They are caught using drive-in nets, gill nets and fish traps, as well as by illegal blast fishing. It can be an important food fish, being popular in the Philippines. The landings are sold fresh or preserved as

salt fish Salted fish, such as kippered herring or dried and salted cod, is fish cured with dry salt and thus preserved for later eating. Drying or salting, either with dry salt or with brine, was the only widely available method of preserving fish unt ...

Culinary uses

The double-lined fusilier and other fusilier species are commonly eaten in Japan, where they are known as . Known as in Okinawan, sometimes rendered in English as "banana fish", it is the prefectural fish of

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

and particularly common in Okinawan cuisine, mostly commonly served deep-fried as ''

kara-age is a Japanese cooking technique in which various foods—most often chicken, but also other meat and fish—are deep fried in oil. The process involves lightly coating small pieces of the meat or fish with flour, or potato or corn starch, and ...

''.

Notes

References

* Carpenter K.E. (1988) FAO Species Catalogue
Vol 8: Fusilier fishes of the world''
Unipub. . {{Taxonbar, from=Q5261389

Double-lined fusilier The double-lined fusilier (''Pterocaesio digramma''), also known as the double stripe fusilier or blacktipped fusilier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is widespread around reefs in the I ...

Fish described in 1865