Forcipiger longirostris
A long-snouted butterflyfish of Indo-Pacific coral reefs.
The longnose butterflyfish, also known as the big longnose butterflyfish, lives on coral reefs across the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its most obvious feature is a long, pointed snout, which makes it easy to mistake for its more common relative, *Forcipiger flavissimus*. Both species can be kept in home aquariums.
This fish has a compressed, yellow body with a black triangle on its head and a long, silvery snout. It usually has 10 or 11 dorsal spines, a black spot on its anal fin, and rows of small black spots on its breast. It reaches about 22 cm (8.7 in) in length. By contrast, *F. flavissimus* has more dorsal spines, no black spots, and a more curved gill cover. Rarely, the yellow parts of *F. longirostris* may appear brown, or the fish may be entirely black.
Active during the day, the longnose butterflyfish is an omnivore that eats small crustaceans, the tube feet of echinoderms and sea urchins, and polychaete tentacles. Like many butterflyfish, it mates for life.
In Hawaiian, *F. longirostris* and *F. flavissimus* share the longest fish name: *lauwiliwilinukunukuʻoiʻoi*, meaning "long-snouted (sharp-beaked) fish shaped like a wiliwili leaf." This species was the first Hawaiian fish to receive a scientific name, after Captain James Cook collected a specimen that remains in the British Museum.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Forcipiger longirostris
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Forcipiger longirostris has a compressed yellow body with a black triangular region on its head and, as the name implies, a long, silvery snout. Usually 10 or 11 dorsal spines, a black spot on the anal fin, and rows of small black spots on the breast are found. The fish grows to about 22 cm (8.7 in) in length. In comparison, F. flavissimus has more dorsal spines, lacks the black spots, and its operculum is more curved. Rarely, F. longirostris can be found in an all-black form, as well, or the yellow portion may be brown.
F. longirostris is a diurnal omnivore, feeding mostly on small crustaceans, tube feet of echinoderms and sea urchins, and polychaete tentacles. Like other butterflyfish species, longnose butterflyfish mate for life. Both F. longirostris and F. flavissimus may be kept in aquariums.
Reader's Guide
Forcipiger longirostris is notable for its distinctive long snout and for being easily confused with its more common cousin F. flavissimus. The species is part of a pair known for having the longest fish name in the Hawaiian language: lauwiliwilinukunukuʻoiʻoi, meaning 'long-snouted (sharp-beaked) fish shaped like a wiliwili leaf'. It was the first Hawaiian fish to receive a scientific name, when Captain James Cook collected a specimen that remains part of the British Museum collection. The species is a diurnal omnivore that feeds on small crustaceans, echinoderm tube feet, sea urchins, and polychaete tentacles. It mates for life and may be kept in aquariums. Rare color forms include an all-black variant or one where the yellow portion is brown.
Did You Know?
- It was the first Hawaiian fish to receive a scientific name, from a specimen collected by Captain James Cook.
- The species can be found in a rare all-black form, or with the yellow portion brown.
- It is easily confused with its more common cousin F. flavissimus, which has more dorsal spines and lacks black spots on the breast.
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