Australian Pineapplefish

Cleidopus gloriamaris

Also known as: Coat-of Mail-Fish, Knightfish, Lightfish, Luminescent Pineconefish, Mailfish, Pineapplefish, Port-and-Starboard Brightfish, Port-and-Starboard Lightfish, Sawbelly, Soldierfish, West Australian Knightfish

ALSO KNOWN AS

Coat-of Mail-Fish
Knightfish
Lightfish
Luminescent Pineconefish
Mailfish
Pineapplefish
Port-and-Starboard Brightfish
Port-and-Starboard Lightfish
Sawbelly
Soldierfish
West Australian Knightfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2020

Add a photo

Australian Pineapplefish adult, photographed at Seventeen Seventy, Australia — @sac · Seventeen Seventy, Australia · October 20201 / 1

Overview

Found during the day, close to the shore, in caves and under ledges, dispersing at night foraging for food, over mud and sandy bottoms, of coral and rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on crustaceans, which they attract with their internal light organ that gives them a glow effect.
Juveniles in shallow waters.
Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Pacific - Australia

Pineconefishes have large hard armoured scales which resemble a pinecone. Near the tip of their jaws they have a small rectangular light organ, powered by luminescent symbiotic bacteria, at night this produces a cold blue/green light which may be used to locate food or for communication.

How to identify

COLOURS

Pattern: black lines
Body shape: pineapple pinecone scutes
Behaviour: nocturnal shelters in caves

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Habitat & where to find it

Range · Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Pacific
Exact location · 1

LIVES IN

Found during the day, close to the shore, in caves and under ledges, dispersing at night foraging for food, over mud and sandy bottoms, of coral and rocky reefs.

RANGE