Rainbow cale

Rainbow cale
A male rainbow cale
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Odacidae
Genus: Heteroscarus
Castelnau, 1872
Species:
H. acroptilus
Binomial name
Heteroscarus acroptilus
Synonyms
  • Scarus acroptilus J. Richardson, 1846
  • Odax acroptilus (J. Richardson, 1846)
  • Heteroscarus filamentosus Castelnau, 1872
  • Heteroscarus modestus Castelnau, 1872
  • Pseudoscarus modestus Castelnau, 1875
  • Heteroscarus castelnaui W. J. Macleay, 1878
  • Heteroscarus elegans Steindachner, 1884
  • Heteroscarus tenuiceps De Vis, 1885
  • Heteroscarus macleayi McCoy, 1888

Heteroscarus acroptilus, the rainbow cale, is a species of weed whiting endemic to Australia where it is found in marine waters along the southern coast. It inhabits rocky reefs that have plentiful growth of brown algae and also in beds of seagrass, particularly those of the genus Posidonia. It occurs at depths of from 1 to 15 metres (3.3 to 49.2 ft). This species grows to a length of 24 centimetres (9.4 in) SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. This species is the only known member of its genus.