Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Centrarchiformes (Order) > Terapontoidei (Suborder) > Microcanthidae (Family) > Microcanthus (Genus)

Footballeur d'Australie de l'Est, East-Australian Stripey,

Synonyme
Microcanthus howensis (Whitley, 1931)

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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17 (usually: 16); Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 13-14 (usually: 14); Pectoral fin rays: 15-17 (usually: 16); Upper procurrent caudal-fin rays: 8-9 (usually: 9); Lower procurrent caudal-fin rays: 7-9 (usually: 8); Caudal fin rays (total): 32-35; Diagonal rows of scales in lateral series: 49-58 (usually: 56); Circumpeduncular scales: 26-28 (usually: 26); Gill rakers: 16-17; Branchiostegals: 7. Body laterally compressed, moderately tall and roughly circular in lateral view. Max. length: 13.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 5 m.

Color
Distinctive pattern of oblique black stripes with yellow or whitish spaces between them.

Etymology
Microcanthus: from Greek, mikros = small + from Greek, akantha = thorn.
joyceae: the species is named after Joyce K. Allan, who provided Whitley with illustrations of this species for his original description.
Original description: Microcanthus joyceae Whitley, 1931 - Type locality: Shellharbour, New South Wales, Australia.

Distribution
Southwestern Pacific: central Queensland south to southern New South Wales (Australia), Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island (Australia) and New Caledonia.

Biology
Inhabit rocky and coral reefs, sometimes forming large schools. Juveniles are often seen in tide pools, and adults often hang around jetty and wharf pylons. Feeds on small crustaceans and algae.

Similar species
Microcanthus strigatus (Cuvier, 1831) - Reported from Southeastern Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific, antitropical: Exmouth Gulf to Cape Leeuwin (Western Australia); Taiwan north to southern Korea, southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands; Hawaiian Islands. Microcanthus joyceae shares similar body proportions and meristic counts to Microcanthus strigatus, but can be distinguished from Microcanthus strigatus in having the fifth body stripe relatively straight, without an inflection, and in lacking spots and short dashes on the breast and lower body.