Forster's Hawkfish

Paracirrhites forsteri

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cirrhitidae
Genus: Paracirrhites
Species: Paracirrhites forsteri

Forster's hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri), also called the freckled hawkfish, is a bold reef predator with dark freckles on its head and a broad dark band along its body. Colour varies with age, from reddish juveniles to olive, yellow and brown adults.

It grows to around 22 cm. Like all hawkfish it lacks a swim bladder and perches on top of coral heads, propped on its thick pectoral fins, watching for prey. It pounces on small fish and shrimps that come too close.

Forster's hawkfish is widespread across the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is a common sight perched on branching and table corals.

Photo: Roger Rittmaster, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist