Category: TROPICAL MARINE


2-4-16 Honeycomb Stingray from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, SHARKS AND RAYS, SHARKS, SKATES and RAYS, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
February 4, 2016


TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Myliobatiformes
Family: Dasyatidae (Whiptail Stingrays, whip-like tails, which are much longer than the disc)

Genus/species: Himantura uarnak

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Disc light brown above with conspicuous dark spots, white ventrally. Tail with bands of black and white, three times the body length. One tail spine. The dark spots are separated in the young ray; in the adult they become crowded together, forming the reticulated pattern from which it gets its name. Snout sharply pointed. Band of flat denticles down the back.
Width up to 2 m (6.5 ft), weigh up to 120 kg (265 lbs).

Himantura uarnak 18366435141_1e263bfff2_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Subtropical, Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea, to southern Africa and French Polynesia, north to Taiwan, south to Australia.

Benthic, found in surf zone, sandy beaches, sandy areas of coral reefs, shallow estuaries and lagoons, down to 90 m (295 ft). It can tolerate brackish water and in India, has been found in the fresh water of Chilka Lake and the Hoogly River, a tributary of the Ganges River.

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DIET IN THE WILD: Main foods: small fish, also bivalves crabs, shrimps, worms and jellies.

REPRODUCTION: Ovoviviparous. Embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures

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REMARKS: Although venomous, it is a popular angling fish due to its being a powerful fighter. It is not a food fish but is used in Chinese medicine.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red list Vulnerable (VU)

REMARKS: Since their mouths are directed downward and often placed against the sand, stingrays use their spiracles rather than their mouths for water intake.

Stingrays have a spiral valve in their intestine that increases food absorption, and lack a swim bladder.

Although venomous, it is a popular angling fish due to its being a powerful fighter. It is not a food fish but is used in Chinese medicine.

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Reef Lagoon 2016

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157627919810858/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-P8

fishbase  www.fishbase.us/summary/5507

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/161692/0

Encyclopedia of Life  eol.org/pages/1859/details

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2-3-16 Blacktip Reef Shark from Ron’s Shark Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, SHARKS AND RAYS, SHARKS, SKATES and RAYS, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
February 3, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class:Class: Chondrichthyes (sharks and rays)
Order: Carcharhiniformes (Ground sharks)
Family: Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks eg migratory, live-bearing sharks of warm seas)

Genus/species: Carcharhinus melanopterus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS:
All fins tipped with black, the large dorsal fin with a white band beneath the black tip, conspicuous white bands along flanks, sometimes edged with black. Otherwise, yellowish-tan above, white below.
Length up to 2 m (6.5 ft) long and weight up to 13.6 kg (30 lbs)

Carcharhinus melanopterus2979831615_73451da081_b

DISTRIBUTION: Subtropical from Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands and the Tuamoto Archipelago. Also enters the Mediterranean from the Red Sea (via the Suez Canal). Prefers inshore coral reefs and the intertidal zone. Has been observed in mangrove areas and fresh water, traveling in and out with the tide.

DIET IN THE WILD: Teleost fishes sea snakes. Predation upon other elasmobranchs was rare.

REPRODUCTION: C. melanopterus is viviparous, incubating young for up to 16 months, producing 2–4 pups per litter. In a fashion not uncommon in sharks, the male takes the female’s pectoral fin in his teeth and the two mate belly to belly.

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PREDATORS: Preyed upon by other sharks as well as large groupers. Average lifespan c. 12 years

CONSERVATION: IUCN Near threatened (NT) 2015-4
The Blacktip Reef Shark is not a target of major fisheries, but is regularly caught by inshore fisheries in India and Thailand. It is caught for human consumption, fishmeal, and their fins enter the oriental sharkfin trade, for sharkfin soup. Their livers are also sought as a rich source of oil.

REMARKS: Often hunt in packs, driving prey into a tight ball and then attacking the ball in a feeding frenzy, even leaping out of the water. Its distinctive appearance and active swimming habit make it a favorite specimen for aquariums. It has been known to bite people wading in shallow water and is aggressive towards spear fishers.

References

Californiua Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Reef Lagoon 2-2-16

References

Californiua Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Reef Lagoon 2-2-16

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/2979831615/in/album-72157627919810858/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1DM

arkive  www.arkive.org/blacktip-reef-shark/carcharhinus-melanopte…

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?&genusnam…

IUCN: www.iucnredlist.org/details/39375/0

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?&genusnam…

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1-29-16 Striped Parrotfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
January 29, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) 
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes) 
Family: Scaridae (Parrotfishes)

Genus/species: Scarus iseri

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Parrotfish owe their name to the shape of their mouth. Instead of teeth they have two beak-like plates, like parrots. They have even rows of large, noticeable scales on their bodies. 

Terminal phase: Body blue to green, with a gold to yellow spot or stripe above and behind the pectoral fin. Dorsal fin with a distinct pink, yellow or orange stripe down the middle that is broken by blue to green linear markings. Tail dark blue or green, with yellow or orangish linear markings between the borders.
Initial and juvenile phases: Body with three black stripes, two white stripes and a white belly, often with thin, broken silver, yellow or dark stripes. Usually yellow smudge on the nose, occasionally with yellow on the ventral fins, belly or tail. Tail without dark borders.
Size up to 35 cm.

Striped Parrottfish19431680162_8165aba44c_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Common Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean. Epibenthic, found over shallow, clear waters, generally over Thalassia beds and rocky or coral areas

DIET IN THE WILD: Feeds on plants.

REPRODUCTION: A protogynous hermaphrodite . Super males spawn individually with striped females, while sexually mature males in the striped phase spawn in aggregation.

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CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Caribbean Reef 2015

Ron’s www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157625866509117/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-Lc

IUCN  www.iucnredlist.org/details/190732/25

Encyclopedia of Life eol.org/pages/217720/details

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1-18-16 Caribbean Longsnout Butterflyfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
January 18, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:  Chordata
Class:  Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)

Genus/species: Prognathodes aculeatus

Caribbean Longnose Butterflyfish 8374253723_e84e62082c_o

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Upper half of body yellow-orange, shading into blackish basally in dorsal fin; lower half of body white; orange bands on head and a narrow orange bar on caudal peduncle. Average of 2 to 3 inches long.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found on natural and artificial reefs, usually 30 to 200 ft in-depth, off Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea, and off the coast of Venezuela.

DIET IN THE WILD: Bristleworms, crustaceans, black coral polyps, sea urchin pedicellaria. Also known to eat the tube feet of sea urchins and tube worm tentacles.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous

CONSERVATION: IUCN, Least Concern (LC)

REMARKS: When threatened, this butterflyfish erects its dorsal spines and points them at the threat.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium, Caribbean Reef 2016

Ron’s flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157625119200613/…

Ron’s WordPress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-No

fishbase fishbase.us/summary/Prognathodes-aculeatus.html

reefguide.org/carib/longsnoutbutter.html

Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, Volume 2: Scorpaeniformes to Tetraodontiformes
By John D. McEachran, Janice D. Fechhelm

Caribbean Reef PR36

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1-11-16 Jack-knifefish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
January 11, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Sciaenidae (Drums or Croakers)

Genus/species: Equetus lanceolatus

IMG_3672

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: E. lanceolatus  has a very high first dorsal fin with a short base. Gray with three white-edged dark brown to black bands, the first running vertically through eye, the second from nape across operculum and chest to front of pelvic fins, and the last beginning on first dorsal fin and running to end of caudal fin Third and widest band from tip of high dorsal fin, curving along length of body to tip of tail
Max length : 25.0 cm (10 inches), common length : 15.0 cm (6 inches).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Atlantic: Bermuda and North Carolina, USA to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Inhabits bays and sounds; also deep coral reefs.                                                                                                                                   Depth range 10 – 60 m (33-200 ft)

DIET IN THE WILD: Bottom dwelling carnivores, eating small shrimps and crabs, polychaete worms and gastropod mollusks.

IMG_3684

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern

REMARKS: Reports of ciguatera poisoning

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Caribbean Reef 2015 

Ron’s flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/19431680992/in/album-72157625866509117/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-L3

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/Equetus-lanceolatus.html

Encyclopedia of life eol.org/pages/213448/details

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/46104959/0

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1-6-16 Cherub Fish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: ANGELFISHES, CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
January 6, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Pectiformes (Perch-likes)
Family : Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)

Genus/species: Centropyge argi

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Like their close relatives the butterflyfishes, they have a deep, laterally compressed body, a single, unnotched dorsal fin, and a small mouth with brushlike teeth. The most observable difference between the two families is the long spine at the corner of the preopercle common to angelfishes.

C. argi is a small, oval angelfish. The body is dark blue with a yellow-orange face and blue ring around the eye. Pectoral fins are pale yellowish; other fins deep blue with pale blue margins.
Length up to 8 cm (3.1 in)

 

Cherubfish7086483839_ef280bfe0f_k

DISTRIBUTION/ HABITAT: Bermuda, Florida, Bahamas, Yucatan and Central American coast to Guianas. Nocturnally active in pairs or small groups in rubble areas near rocky or coral reefs, occasionally walls. 

Depth 9–105 m (30-345 ft), commonly deeper than 30 m (100 ft)

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivorous, feeds on algae, benthic inverts and detritus.

REPRODUCTION/DEVELOPMENT: Broadcast spawners. All Centropyge are born female. As they grow, the larger and more dominant fish will become male and the others will remain female. If the male dies, the next in command in the hierarchy will turn to male.

PREDATORS: Preyed on by other fish such as yellow-finned tunafish. This small angelfsh darts into crevices when frightened or pursued by predators.

Lifespan: Have been reported to live up to 5 years in captivity.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern.

CaribbeanReef 

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Caribbean reef fishes 2015

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157606840726733/

Ron’s W0rdpress shortlink   http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-uJ

fishbase  http://www.fishbase.org/summary/3607

Book  Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.

ADW  http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Centropyge_argi/

 


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10-28-15 Alligator Pipefish fron Ron’s Tropical Marine series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 28, 2015

Color of Life, Color Conceals. Shape and color provide excellent camouflage. It also is an inefficient swimmer, moving by an undulating motion of its pectoral and dorsal fins blending into the grass.

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Syngnathiformes (Pipefishes and seahorses)
Family: Syngnathidae (Pipefishes Seadragons and seahorses)

Genus/species: Syngnathoides biaculeatus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Slender tetrahedral body; variably colored green to brown or grey, reportedly depending on habitat. Bony plates on skin form a series of protective rings. Distinct tubular snout with no jaw.
Length up to 29.0 cm

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DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Red Sea; South Africa to Samoa,
north to southern Japan, south to eastern Australia.
Found in protected coastal shallows over or among algae, seagrasses, or floating weeds. Juveniles occasionally found near the surface.

DIET IN THE WILD: Minute invertebrates and fish larvae.

Alligator pipefish3888361153_13247050f2_b-2

REPRODUCTION: Ovoviviparous. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch protectively located under his prehensile tail.

IUCN Red list Data deficient

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REMARKS: The prehensile tail is long and tapering and lacks a tail fin. It is used to anchor the fish to vegetation.

Used in Chinese medicine to extract Hailong.

References

California Academy of Sciences Color on the Reef Exhibit 2015

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/22510763066/in/album-72157608441047857/

fishbase fishbase.org/summary/Syngnathoides-biaculeatus.html

IUCN Red List www.iucnredlist.org/details/40715/0

EOL eol.org/pages/995073/details

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Bu

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10-27-15 Moorish Idol from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 27, 2015

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Zanclidae (Moorish idol)

Genus/species: Zanclus cornutus

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Discoid body, tubular snout, dorsal spines elongated into a very long white whip-like filament. Broad vertical white, black, white-yellow black, yellow banding. Tail black with white margin. Length to 23 cm (9 inches).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-pan-Pacific. Southern Gulf of California found near hard substrates from turbid inner harbors and reef flats to clear seaward reefs as deep as 182 m (600 ft). Usually in small groups of conspecifics, occasionally in schools of more than 100.                 

 DIET IN THE WILD: Primarily sponges. Also consumes tunicates and algae.

 REPRODUCTION: It has a long larval phase and settles at a large size (6 cm or 2.4 in) resulting in its very wide geographic distribution.

 CONSERVATION: Not evaluated

REMARKS: The Moorish Idol was the icon of the Golden Gate Park Steinhart Aquarium.

Gill, was the leader of the tank fish in the movie Finding Nemo, with the voice of Willem Dafoe, is a Moorish idol.

Color of Life, Color on the Reef, Color Conceals, Hiding the eye.
Black stripes break up the body outline and hide the eye from predators.

IMG_3304

 Philippine Coral Reef  

 Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608440659805/

Ron’s  WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-Ax

fishbase: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/5950

EOL http://eol.org/pages/204516/hierarchy_entries/44696397/details

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10-22-15 Spotted Green Dragonet from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 22, 2015

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Callionymidae (Dragonets)

Genus/species: Synchiropus splendidus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Body depressed, small head. Ground color green (rare individuals red). Body covered with dark blue blotches ringed with dark outlines. Pectoral fins, face yellow.
Length to 6 cm (2.36 in).

Synchiropus splendidus15148891995_e1b96e57d4_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Pacific in shallow protected lagoons and inshore coral reefs with silty substrates 1 to 18 m
(3.28 to 59 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: Small crustaceans such as amphipods and isopods, small worms and protozoans.

Green Mandarinfish aka Mandarin Dragonet3274882181_969702e800_b

REPRODUCTION: Polygynandrous (promiscuous). During spawning they are pelagic and are seen in the open ocean.

LIFESPAN: 10-15 years in the wild.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Not Evaluated

Color of Life: aposematic warning
S. splendidus have a vibrant display of colors. They secrete mucous that has an unpleasant smell with toxins and a bitter taste which is used as a repellent from predators.

References

California Academy of Sciences exhibit 2015

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/12644

Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org/accounts/Synchiropus_splendidus/

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/15148891995/in/album-72157659465376212/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Ba

 

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10-12-15 Saddleback Butterflyfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 12, 2015

TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order Perciformes (Perch likes)
Family Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)

Genus/Species:  Chaetodon ephippium

Chaetodon ephippium 8410074954_fcdc073db2_h

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Yellowish grey with a large black spot on the upper rear sides bordered below by a broad white band; orange area from snout to ventral fins, wavy blue lines on the lower sides. The breast and snout are yellow. Adults have a filament extending from the back of the dorsal fin.
Length to 23 cm (9 inches) in length.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific. in lagoons and seaward reefs to 30 m (98 feet) in coral rich, clear waters.

DIET IN THE WILD: Filamentous algae, small invertebrates, sponges, coral polyps, and fish eggs.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)

Color of Life, Color Conceals.
This Saddleback Butterflyfish helps conceals its head by having a vertical line through the eye and a large eve-like spot on its upper posterior less vital portion of its body confusing  predators.

Color Cluster

References

California Academy of Sciences Color of life docent training 2015

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink   http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-vi

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157625119200613/
fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/5562

EOL eol.org/pages/1012777/details

Australia Museum australianmuseum.net.au/Saddle-Butterflyfish-Chaetodon-ep…

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