Amblycirrhitus bimacula
A secretive benthic hawkfish with two distinctive black spots.
The twospot hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus bimacula), also called the twinspot hawkfish, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Cirrhitidae. It lives across the Indo-Pacific and is sometimes taken for home aquariums.
First described in 1903 by American zoologist Oliver Peebles Jenkins as *Cirrhitoidea bimacula*, its type location is Honolulu. The species name *bimacula* means "two spots," referring to a spot on the gill cover and another on the upper body near the tail fin.
Its body depth is about one-third of its standard length. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 12 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 6 soft rays. It reaches a maximum length of 9 cm (3.5 in). The sides have wavy reddish-brown bars. A large black spot with a pale border sits on the gill cover, and a similar spot appears near the rear base of the dorsal fin.
This hawkfish has a wide range across the Indo-Pacific. It occurs from eastern Africa (between Kenya and South Africa) east through the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, reaching Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands, and south to Australia. In Australian waters, it is found at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, from Ningaloo Reef to Rosily Island in Western Australia, and along the Great Barrier Reef south to Moreton Bay in Queensland. It also lives at Boot Reef and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. It inhabits coral reefs from the surface down to 20 m (66 ft).
A secretive, bottom-dwelling species, it typically hides in reef crevices or among rocks and rubble. It can be common where there is wave surge or current on seaward reefs. It feeds on small crustaceans.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Amblycirrhitus bimacula
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The twospot hawkfish was first formally described in 1903 by American zoologist Oliver Peebles Jenkins as Cirrhitoidea bimacula, with the type locality given as Honolulu. The specific name bimacula means 'two spot,' referencing the two spots: one on the operculum and the other on the upper body towards the caudal fin. The species has a body depth approximately one third of its standard length, with dorsal fin having 10 spines and 12 soft rays, and anal fin having 3 spines and 6 soft rays. It grows to a maximum length of 9 cm (3.5 in). The flanks bear undulating reddish-brown bars, and there is a large pale-margined black spot on the opercle, with a similar spot at the rear over the base of the dorsal fin. The twospot hawkfish has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution, from eastern Africa between Kenya and South Africa east across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific as far as Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara Islands, and south to Australia. In Australian waters it is found at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, from Ningaloo Reef to Rosily Island in Western Australia, along the Great Barrier Reef south to Moreton Bay in Queensland, and at Boot Reef and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. It is found from 0 to 20 m on coral reefs. This species is secretive and benthic, typically hiding in crevices in reefs or between rocks or rubble, and can be common where there is exposure to surge or currents on seaward reefs. It feeds on small crustaceans.
Reader's Guide
The twospot hawkfish is notable for its distinctive two-spot pattern and its wide Indo-Pacific distribution, spanning from eastern Africa to Hawaii and the Pitcairn Islands. Its secretive, benthic nature and preference for hiding in reef crevices or among rubble make it a characteristic inhabitant of coral reefs, especially in areas exposed to surge or currents. The species is collected for the aquarium trade, indicating its appeal to marine aquarists. Its description by Oliver Peebles Jenkins in 1903 from a type locality in Honolulu adds historical context to its taxonomy. The specific name bimacula directly references the two black spots that define its appearance. The species' maximum length of 9 cm and its diet of small crustaceans are key biological details. Its presence across a vast geographic range, including Australian waters from Christmas Island to the Great Barrier Reef, underscores its adaptability to various reef environments. The twospot hawkfish remains a recognized member of the family Cirrhitidae, valued both ecologically and in the aquarium hobby.
Did You Know?
- Its specific name bimacula means 'two spot,' referring to spots on the operculum and upper body.
- It is found from 0 to 20 m depth on coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific.
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