About Ostorhinchus compressus (Smith & Radcliffe, 1911)
Description: While the maximum recorded standard length of Ostorhinchus compressus is 12 cm, the most common adult length is around 8.5 cm. Adult individuals are pinkish-white, with six brown stripes running along each side, iridescent blue eye rings, and up to four brown spots located on the caudal peduncle (the base of the tail). Juvenile O. compressus start with a black spot on a yellow caudal peduncle. This characteristic appears to mimic the juveniles of certain piscivorous species in the genus Cheilodipterus. Range: Ostorhinchus compressus is found in Australian waters. In Western Australia, it occurs at Scott Reef, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and Rowley Shoals. In eastern Australian and Tasman Sea waters, it ranges from the Great Barrier Reef to the Middleton & Elizabeth Reefs Reserve and Lord Howe Island. Beyond Australia, its broader distribution spans the Indo-Pacific, from the Andaman Sea east to Vanuatu and New Caledonia, and north as far as southern Japan.
