Goldband fusilier (Pterocaesio chrysozona)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Eupercaria incertae sedis · Family: Caesionidae · Genus: Pterocaesio.

Accepted name: Pterocaesio chrysozona · Authority: (Cuvier, 1830) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 213662.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Caesio chrysozoma Cuvier, 1830; Caesio chrysozona Cuvier, 1830; Caesio chrysozonus Cuvier, 1830; Pristipomoides aurolineatus Day, 1868.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=213662 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 21 cm · Depth range: 2–25 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 11 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Ranges widely around coral reefs. Found in schools. Feeds on zooplankton in large midwater aggregations.

Oviparous, with numerous, small pelagic eggs (Ref. 402). Also caught by drive-in nets. Valuable tuna baitfish.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 932) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pterocaesio-chrysozona.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

3,457 georeferenced occurrence records for Pterocaesio chrysozona are published through GBIF from 36 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 133 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 16 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Australia (3,191); Malaysia (42); Philippines (39); Thailand (28); Egypt (23).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2374755) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2374755&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=213662 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Pterocaesio chrysozona (Cuvier, 1830) 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 20251507) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/20251507/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2374755) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2374755/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The goldband fusilier was first formally described as Caesio chryszona in 1830 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as "Archipel des Indes", i.e. Indonesia. In his 1987 review of the Caesionidae, Kent E. Carpenter placed this species within the subgenus Pisinnicaesio, of which it is the type species. The specific name chrysozona means "gold band", a reference to the yellow stripe on its flanks.

Description

The goldband fusilier has a fusiform 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 contains 10–11 spines and 14–16 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 11–13 soft rays. There are scales on both the dorsal and anal fins.

There are 17–20 rays in the pectoral fins. This species attains a maximum total length of 21 cm. The overall colour is pale blue to brownish fading to pinkish or white below. There is a wide yellow band along the flanks immediately below the lateral line.

Distribution and habitat

The goldband fusilier is found in the tropical Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Its range extends along the eastern coast of Africa from Mozambique north to the Red Sea and eastwards across the Indian Ocean, although it is absent from the northern Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.

In the Pacific Ocean is reaches east as far as the Solomon Islands, north to the Yaeyama Islands and south to Australia. In Australia they are found around the coast from the Dampier Archipelago in Western Australia to Sydney. They are at depths between 5 and 35 m among coral reefs, seagrass, along outer reef slopes and around pinnacles in deep lagoons.

Biology

Goldband fusiliers are a non-migratory fish, found during the day moving in schools. At night they shelter within the reef. The schools forage for zooplankton in midwater. It is an oviparous species which lays large numbers of small, pelagic eggs.

Fisheries

Goldband fusiliers play a minor role in commercial fisheries. In the Philippines, they are sometimes caught and marketed fresh using traps and drive-in nets. In the Laccadives, the Maldives and the West Pacific, they are used as baitfish for the pole and line tuna fisheries.

Source: Wikipedia: Goldband fusilier — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldband_fusilier (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.