Description:

Dorsal spines: 7; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal rays: 8.

Moderately slender-bodied cardinalfish, with large eyes and mouth. Caudal peduncle long and relatively broad. 

Colour. Grey body with eight dark stripes running from the snout to the caudal peduncle. Caudal fin base is whitish and the fin itself has dark upper and
lower margins. Juveniles have a yellow blotch on the caudal peduncle, which contains a dark spot.

Maturity: Unknown. Max length: 18.7 cm TL.

Inhabits lagoons and seaward reefs, (depth 3-158 m). Forms small aggregations in caves and above branching corals. Feeds on small fishes. Exhibits mouth 
brooding.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not subject to the artisanal fishery.
 

Bray, D.J. (2022). Cheilodipterus artus in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1639 (27/08/22).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.de/summary/5780 (29/08/22)
Mason-Parker, C. et al. (2021). Cheilodipterus artus in Reef Fishes of Seychelles. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd, UK.

Mason-Parker, C. & Nevill, J.E.G. (2022). Cheilodipterus artus, Wolf cardinalfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/cheilodipterus-artus-smith-1961/