About Forcipiger longirostris (Broussonet, 1782)
Forcipiger longirostris has a laterally compressed yellow body, with a black triangular area on its head. As its scientific name suggests, it has a long, silvery snout. It typically has 10 or 11 dorsal spines, a black spot on the anal fin, and rows of small black spots on its breast. This fish reaches a maximum length of around 22 centimeters, or 8.7 inches. Compared to the related species Forcipiger flavissimus, F. longirostris has fewer dorsal spines, has black spots, and has a less curved operculum. Rare color variations of F. longirostris include a completely all-black body, or a brown coloration in place of the typical yellow body.
