About Kyphosus cornelii (Whitley, 1944)
Kyphosus cornelii (Whitley, 1944) is similar to the silver drummer (K. sydneyanus), but it has a more slender body shape than other Kyphosus (drummer) species. The rear edge of its pectoral fins is orange-yellow. The upper and lower margins of its caudal fin have a pale margin, with a dusky submarginal bar. The main differences between Kyphosus cornelii and the silver drummer are Kyphosus cornelii’s more distinctly forked tail, pale caudal fin margin, and dark suborbital moustache. This species reaches a maximum total length of 70 centimetres (28 in). Kyphosus cornelii is endemic to the western coast of Western Australia, where it occurs from Shark Bay in the north to Cape Naturaliste in the south. It inhabits coral and rock reefs in inshore waters at depths down to 20 metres (66 ft). Kyphosus cornelii feeds mostly on seaweed, particularly red algae. Individuals are territorial: they defend a patch of seaweed, and garden the patch to keep the seaweed short so they can detect other Western buffalo bream. Fish will steal food from other fish’s seaweed patches, especially when the seaweed in those patches grows too tall. This species can form mixed schools with silver drummers.
