Rusty hind (Cephalopholis aitha)

Scientific name: Cephalopholis aitha Randall & Heemstra, 1991

The Rusty hind (Cephalopholis aitha) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae. Native range: Western Pacific, Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi, Flores), and Papua New Guinea.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Similar to the more common Cephalopholis spiloparaea but lacks banding in the caudal fin.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Cephalopholis aitha
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 25.0
Depth range: 5–33 m (16–108 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 5 - 33 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia (Sulawesi, Flores), and Papua New Guinea.
Conservation status (IUCN): Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026