Fish · La Saladita, Guerrero

Moorish Idol

Zanclus cornutus

Spanish: Ídolo moro

Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus)
Photographed by zihuadean on iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC

The Moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus), is a marine fish species, the sole extant representative of the family Zanclidae (from the Greek ζαγκίος, zagkios, "oblique") in order Perciformes. A common inhabitant of tropical to subtropical reefs and lagoons, the Moorish idol is notable for its wide distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific. A number of butterflyfishes (genus Heniochus) closely resemble the Moorish idol. It is closely related to, if not a direct descendant of, the extinct Eozanclus brevirostris, from...

TaxonomyActinopterygii › Acanthuriformes › Zanclidae
Local records14 research-grade observations within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records11,350 on iNaturalist
Most recent records2020 – 2026
Months of the 8 most recent records
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Fish guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Moorish Idol (Zanclus cornutus) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/zanclus-cornutus/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.