Blackspotted hawkfish (Cristacirrhitus punctatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Centrarchiformes · Family: Cirrhitidae · Genus: Cristacirrhitus.

Accepted name: Cristacirrhitus punctatus · Authority: (Cuvier, 1829) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 280428.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Cirrhitus mossambicus Smith, 1951; Cirrhitus nigropunctatus Schultz, 1950; Cirrhitus puncatus Cuvier, 1829; Cirrhitus punctatus Cuvier, 1829.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=280428 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Cristacirrhitus punctatus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 17 cm · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: A rocky shore species.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 8002) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Cristacirrhitus-punctatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Cristacirrhitus punctatus (Cuvier, 1829) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 241133155) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/241133155/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2375197) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2375197/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The blackspotted hawkfish was first formally described in 1829 as Cirrhitus punctatus by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as Madagascar. In 2001 John Ernest Randall placed it in a new monotypic genus, Cristacirrhitus. The genus name is a compound of crista meaning "crest", a reference to the ridge of bone over the eye and Cirrhitus the type genus of the family Cirrhitidae, in which genus Cuvier had originally placed it. The specific name punctatus means "spotted", a reference to brown blotches and black spots this species has.

Description

The black spotted hawkfish has a snout which is not overly elongated and a deep body. The mouth has an outer row of canine teeth and an inner row of much smaller villiform teeth, the canines are notably larger at the front of the upper jaw and side of the lower jaw. There are two rows of cirri and a flap on the posterior edge of the anterior nostril. The caudal fin is truncate or rounded.

The lowest 7 pectoral fin rays are unbranched and robust, the pectoral fins are long reaching past the tips of the pelvic fins. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 11 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spies and 6 soft rays. There is an obvious bony ridge, starting to the rear of the eye and having a length equal to of half the diameter of the eye. This species has a maximum published total length of 17 cm.

The body is mottled with irregular brown and light brown blotches. On the upper two thirds of the head there are many small blackish spots and a blackish stripe arcing rearwards from the eye.

Distribution and habitat

The blackspotted hawkfish is found in the western Indian Ocean on rocky shorelines in South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion.

Source: Wikipedia: Blackspotted hawkfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackspotted_hawkfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.