Redfingers

Fascinating facts about the Redfingers

• A French naturalist named Bernard Germain de Lacépède first described this fish in 1803, making it the type species for both its genus and family.
• At just 30 cm (12 in) long, the redfingers’ body depth fits into its length only 3.2 to 3.7 times, giving it a compact, oval shape that lets it slip into the narrow crevices of rocky reefs where it hides from predators.
• Four bright reddish-brown stripes run along its lower flanks, while the lower 4–5 rays of each pectoral fin are enlarged and colored red.
• Though usually seen in shallow water, records show this species can dive to 120 m (390 ft), but most individuals prefer depths down to 25 m (82 ft) where abundant caves provide a cool refuge when temperatures drop.
• Its diet is a buffet of benthic invertebrates, small crabs, molluscs, and worms.

At a glance

About the Redfingers

The redfingers (Cheilodactylus fasciatus) is a strikingly banded marine fish, its oval body tapering to a depth about a third of its length, and its pectoral fins tipped with four to five elongated, crimson rays. Four wide reddish-brown stripes run along its lower flanks, mirrored by five quadrangular marks on the upper sides, while the head is covered with rectangular spots and dashes and the caudal fin bears diagonal brown bars. Growing to a maximum of 30 cm (12 in), this morwong inhabits the rocky reefs and tidal pools of southern Africa, from Swakopmund in Namibia to northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, ranging from shallow tide-pools to depths of 120 m (390 ft). Adults are cryptic, blending into the crevices and caves that dominate their habitat, where they either linger solitarily or form small groups, especially in deeper, cover-rich zones that offer refuge from temperature drops and predators. Their diet is a benthic banquet of small crabs, molluscs and worms, captured with a small mouth and pointed snout that probes the substrate. The species occasionally appears in cold-water public aquaria, and it is caught only accidentally and in small numbers, with negligible presence in recreational or commercial catches.

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