Caesioscorpis theagenes Whitley, 1945
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Caesioscorpis theagenes, also known as the blowhole perch, fusilier sweep, or southern fusilier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish endemic to the southwestern coast of Australia. It is the only species in the genus Caesioscorpis and of the family Caesioscorpididae, the blowhole perches.
Its phylogenetic affinities were long uncertain, with it being placed as an indeterminate member of the Serranidae for many decades after its description. It was only in 2020 that it was found to belong to the recently-circumscribed Centrarchiformes and forming its own family. The genus name is thought to be a portmanteau of two different fish genera, Caesio and Scorpis, referencing its physical similarities to both genera. It is relatively closely related to the latter, although phylogenetic evidence suggests that its closest relatives are the stripeys (family Microcanthidae).
It is a slender, schooling fish with an overall silvery coloration, with a greenish-yellow back.
Wikipedia contributors, Caesioscorpis; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T19:13:29.168560+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Caesioscorpis theagenes Whitley, 1945
- Name authority
- Whitley, 1945
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Caesioscorpididae
- Genus
- Caesioscorpis
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Source habitat flags: Marine: yes · Freshwater: no · Terrestrial: no. These do not form a complete habitat description.
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- gigaclassActinopterygii
- superclassActinopteri
- classTeleostei
- orderPerciformes
- suborderPercoidei
- familyCaesioscorpididae Parenti & Randall, 2020
- genusCaesioscorpis Whitley, 1945
- speciesCaesioscorpis theagenes Whitley, 1945
Close classified relatives
No other member of this genus is present in the selected snapshot.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Whitley, G. P. (1945). New sharks and fishes from Western Australia. Part 2. Australian Zoologist, v. 11 (pt 1): 1–42, Pl. 1. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:696PG. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.