About Dendrochirus zebra (Cuvier, 1829)
The zebra turkeyfish (scientific name Dendrochirus zebra (Cuvier, 1829)) is a scorpaenid fish. Its body has vertical stripes in orange, white, and black, and it has large, banded, fan-like pectoral fins that flare out on either side when the fish rests on the seabed. Its front dorsal fin consists of 13 tall, quill-like spines, and its second dorsal fin has 10 or 11 soft rays. The anal fin has three spines and approximately 10 soft rays. The second dorsal fin, anal fin, and rounded caudal fin have transverse black and white bands. This species reaches a maximum total length of around 25 cm (10 in).
Zebra turkeyfish are native to the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Red Sea to Indonesia and eastern Australia. They inhabit inshore waters down to a depth of about 80 m (262 ft). They are a bottom-dwelling species, found on coral, pebble, and rock bottoms in reef flats, outer reefs, and lagoons, as well as in caves. They can sometimes be found in small groups.
