School of fish: any ideas?

Hi,

I took this photo a few years back at Leemus Island, near Kavieng, Papua New Guinea. They were being chased by a juvenile Blue trevally, which I unfortunately missed in the shot! I'm trying to figure out what they are. I'm thinking juvenile anthias, perhaps? Can't seem to find anything. I thought at first cardinalfish, but the forked tail seems not to fit. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Marli Wakeling

I think maybe the common name is "Boga" Don't know genus and species.

Cheers

James

Aren't Boga a Caribbean species? Is there an Indo-Pacific Boga species?

Cheers,

Marli

Hi Marli, these are actually fairly common in the INdo Pacific but i have never actually looked em up before...Definitely a Cardinalfish as actually quite a few have a forked tail.

I would have to say the Graceful Cardinalfish Rhabdamia gracilis, thats from Robert Myers: Micronesian Reef Fishes

Thats my best guess

Hi Mike,

Thanks. I have Myer's Coral Reef Fishes, and the illustration certainly doesn't emphasize the "luminous organ beneath each operculum" or have any colouration whatsoever. I looked up some images using the name, and I think you're right. At least to Genus, anyway. Thanks to a fellow Canuck!

Cheers,

Marli

Hi Marli, how's the weather back home? Looks sunny but cold according to the internet, yuck...

Anyhoo, we usually call these schools Glassy Sweepers, looked in the Myers book again under sweepers and the only one that looks anywhere close is the Golden or Pygmy Sweeper, Parapriacanthus ransonneti

But doesn't really look like it, however in the the Tropical Fishes of the Pacific by Humann et al. there is a better photo and i think that is your fish! (fishes?)

Well, where else can you ski one day and dive the next? Actually had sunballs to photograph in Howe Sound yesterday! It was a balmy 50 degrees underwater. Quite toasty with enough layers to feel like the Michelin man.

Anyway, I don't think it's a sweeper. The body is too elongate, and that patch that is glowing leads me to agree with your first guess. These things are like "silversides"...lots of species that are tiny and shiny. Gosh, it's too early for poetry! Looking at different photographer's and other sites, different species are called the same thing. I may try to send it to Paul and see what he or "et al" thinks.