Bluelined Hind, also known as Bluelined Rockcod, is a marine fish, belonging to the subfamily Epinephelinae in the family Serranidae, which includes anthias and sea basses.
This fish lives in the Indo-Pacific region and is usually found near reefs.
It prefers shallow dead or silty reefs, which may explain why it’s mostly found near continents.
It typically lives alone (solitary) and is sometimes seen in aquariums. However, it’s not reef-safe.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Bluelined Hind Interesting Facts
- Bluelined hind lives in the Indo-Pacific region near shallow dead or silty reefs. They are usually found alone and are not reef-safe.
- Often confused with Cephalopholis polleni and Cephalopholis boenak, this fish prefers tropical waters at depths of 1 to 15 meters.
- Growing up to 34 cm in length, the bluelined hind has a dark brown to yellowish-brown body with narrow blue stripes and rough scales.
- Its head makes up about a quarter of its total length, featuring a curved area between the eyes and a broad upper jawbone.
Bluelined Hind Habitat
Bluelined hind is found in the Indo-West Pacific region. Its range extends from western India to the Philippines, and from southern Japan down to northern Australia.
There are reports of a species in Madagascar, Réunion, and Mauritius that may have been misidentified as Cephalopholis polleni, a similar fish.
Bluelined hind is often confused with another related species called Cephalopholis boenak.
This fish lives in marine environments near reefs and doesn’t migrate.
It can be found at depths of 1 to 30 meters but usually stays within 1 to 15 meters deep.
Bluelined hind prefers tropical waters ranging between 36°N to 34°S latitude and 30°E to 143°E longitude.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Bluelined Hind Physical Characteristics
Size: 13.4 inches (34.0 centimeters)
Bluelined hind can grow up to 34 cm (13.4 inches) in length. It has 9 dorsal spines, 15 to 17 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines, and 7 to 8 anal soft rays.
Its body color ranges from dark brown to yellowish-brown with narrow blue stripes. This fish’s body is covered in rough scales, including its abdomen.
The depth of the bluelined hind’s body is about 2.5 to 3 times smaller than its total length.
Its rounded tail fin and pelvic fins are proportionate to its head size. The head itself makes up about a quarter of the fish’s total length.
The area between the eyes is curved and raised while the bone structure around the gills has fine serrations on it.
This fish also has a broad upper jawbone that reaches past or just behind its eye level.
Bluelined Hind Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Genus: | Cephalopholis |
| Scientific Name: | Cephalopholis formosa |
| Also Known As: | Bluelined Hind, Bluelined Rockcod |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |