Sixband hawkfish (Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Distribution map plotted from GBIF.org occurrence records; basemap Natural Earth 110m · GBIF records CC0 / CC BY; Natural Earth public domain
The sixband hawkfish (Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean. This species grows to 7.8 cm in standard length. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderCentrarchiformes
- FamilyCirrhitidae
- GenusIsocirrhitus
- SpeciesIsocirrhitus sexfasciatus
Named by (L. P. Schultz, 1960)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Sixband hawkfish (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 281185 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Data Deficient (DD)
Data Deficient: there is not enough information to place this species on the risk scale.
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.08 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: FishBase species summary
Where the sixband hawkfish (isocirrhitus sexfasciatus) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (24 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range.
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Centrarchiformes · Family: Cirrhitidae · Genus: Isocirrhitus.
Accepted name: Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus · Authority: (Schultz, 1960) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 281185.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Cirrhitoidea sexfasciata Schultz, 1960.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=281185 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 7.800000190734863 cm · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100.
FishBase notes: Inhabits the surge zone of reef margins and fronts.
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 5834) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Isocirrhitus-sexfasciatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
24 georeferenced occurrence records for Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus are published through GBIF from 3 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 6 distinct locations from a sample of 24 records; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: French Polynesia (18); United States of America (5); Tonga (1).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2375181) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2375181&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=281185 (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 Isocirrhitus sexfasciatus (Schultz, 1960) as Data Deficient (code DD). 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 67997819) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/67997819/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2375181) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2375181/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
The sixband hawkfish was first formally described as Cirrhitoidea sexfasciata in 1960 by the American ichthyologist Leonard Peter Schultz with the type locality given as Airy Island in the Bikini Atoll. In 1963 John Ernest Randall reviewed the family Cirrhitidae and he created the new monotypic genus Isocirrhitus for this species and determined that Oliver Peebles Jenkins' Cirrhitoidea was a synonym of the genus Amblycirrhitus.
The sixband hawkfish remains the only species in the genus. The genus name's derivation was not explained by Randall but it may be iso meaning "equal" and Cirrhitus the type genus of the Cirrhitidae. The specific name sexfasciatus means "six banded".
Description
The sixband hawkfish is quite similar to the species in the genera Cirrhitops, Amblycirrhitus and Cirrhitichthys but these genera have teeth on the palatine and longer dorsal fin spines. It is also similar to species in Paracirrhitus but these have a single cirrus at the tip of each dorsal fin spine. This species has 10 spines and 11 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 3 spines and 6 soft rays in the anal fin. There is a tuft of cirri at the tip of each spine in the dorsal fin and the membranes between the spines are moderately notched.
The uppermost and 5 lower pectoral fin rays are unbranched. The upper third of the edge of the preoperculum has fine serrations, the lower two thirds are smooth. The caudal fin is truncate. This species has a maximum recorded standard length of 7.8 cm.
This is one of the less colourful species of hawkfishes, the overall colour is tan broken by seven wide, vertical blackish bands on the upper body, the first on the nape and the last on the caudal peduncle.
Distribution and habitat
The sixband hawkfish the Western Pacific Ocean. It occurs around the Cook Islands, in French Polynesia at Rapa Iti, the Gilbert Islands, the Kiribati Line Islands, Marshall Islands; Tonga; United States Minor Outlying Islands at Howland Island and Baker Island. They are found in shallow water at depths between 1 and 11 m. They are associated with reefs.
Source: Wikipedia: Sixband hawkfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixband_hawkfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Sixband hawkfish (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: FishBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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