About Caesio xanthonota Bleeker, 1853
The yellowback fusilier, scientific name Caesio xanthonota Bleeker, 1853, is a small to medium-sized fish that reaches a maximum length of about 40 cm (16 in). Its small terminal mouth is protusible, meaning it can extend forward to swallow food. Its body is fusiform, or spindle-shaped. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 14 to 15 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 11 to 12 soft rays. The caudal fin is deeply forked. Its body is colored greyish blue, with a bright yellow zone covering the upper third of the body. This yellow area runs from the forehead between the eyes all the way to the tail, and it includes both the dorsal fin and the caudal fin. The belly of the fish is plain white.
Caesio xanthonota is widely distributed across tropical waters, ranging from the Indian Ocean (excluding the Red Sea and Persian Gulf) east to Indonesia in the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits mid-water in deep lagoons and near external reefs, at depths from the surface down to 50 m.
