Latest Entries »

3-31-16 Lamarck’s Angelfish aka Blackstriped Angelfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: ANGELFISHES, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 31, 2016

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

Genus/species: Genicanthus lamarck

Genicanthus lamarck 3193591354_41bdf27969_b

female above

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Sexually dimorphic; white or silver body with horizontal black stripes from eye to speckled lyre tails. Females have bolder stripes, one extending into the tail. Males have a yellow spot on the forehead, longer more pointed caudal fin and jet black pelvic fins; females’, white.

Maximum length: 25 cm (10 in)

male below

Genicanthus lamarck 25852806440_d352c49ff6_k

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific reef dweller. They prefer the top to middle of their depth range 15–35m, (30-100 ft) unlike most other angelfish.

DIET IN THE WILD: G. lamarck are also the only group of angelfish that feed on plankton.

REPRODUCTION: Males maintain harems, scatter pelagic eggs after mid-water mating rituals. The eggs and larvae drift, then settle onto the reef at the time of metamorphosis to the juvenile stage.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least concern (LC)

REMARKS: Males and females are so distinct the sexes were once considered separate species. One of the few angelfish to display sexual dimorphism. Their genus, Genicanthus, is distinctive among angelfish for their lyre tails, an adaptation to open water, fast swimming.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  wp.me/p1DZ4b-1co

EOL eol.org/pages/218646/details

fishbase  fishbase.org/summary/6612

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3142850563/in/album-72157625992053826/

Tags: , ,
Comment

3-29-16 Emperor Angelfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: ANGELFISHES, CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — 1 Comment
March 29, 2016

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

Genus/species: Pomacanthus imperator

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Juveniles have concentric white circles, also distinguished by a white dorsal fin margin. The adult pattern emerges at about 10 cm (4 in): vivid. It has alternating yellow and blue stripes and yellow tail; blue edged eye mask, broad blue-edged black bar behind head. A long stout preopercular spine is present on the gill cover that is common to angelfishes. 

 Length to 40 cm (16 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific.  Juveniles are solitary found under ledges and holes of outer lagoon patch reefs or semiprotected areas of exposed channels and reef flats. Adults occur near ledges and caves in regions of robust coral growth on clear lagoon, channel or seaward reefs to 70 m. Adults typically in male/female pair or solitary.

DIET IN THE WILD: P. imperator feed on sponges and other encrusting organisms such as tunicates. Young and adults may clean much larger fishes such as sunfish.

REPRODUCTION:  Males will have 2 or more females in their harem.  The male meets the female several times at the same spot before rising.The spawning ascent  is upwards for 3 – 9 meters. The male stays with the female for a while after swimming down from the rise and then departs across the reef (probably after the next female. The larvae float in a planktonic stage for a few weeks before turning into fry.

LONGEVITY: More than 5 years in captivity.

CONSERVATION: IUCN: Least concern.

REMARKS: When alarmed, can produce low-frequency drumlike noises that are loud enough to startle divers.  Young and adults may clean much larger fishes such as sunfish.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3308685675/in/set-72157606840726733/

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

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/6504

Arkive www.arkive.org/emperor-angelfish/pomacanthus-imperator/

Australian Museum  australianmuseum.net.au/Emperor-Angelfish-Pomacanthus-imp…


Tags: , ,
Comment

3-28-16 Lemonpeel Angelfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 28, 2016

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

Genus/species: Centropyge flavissima

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Yellow dwarf angelfish with blue eye ring, blue margin to the opercular cover and to dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. A preopercular spine common to angelfishes is present.

Max. size: 14 cm (5.5 in)

6764335749_c4befc1269_b

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: West-central Pacific among coral reefs in shallow lagoons.

DIET IN THE WILD The Lemonpeel Angelfish feed on algae and corals.

REPRODUCTION: As with other dwarf angels, they are sequential protogynous hermaphrodites. They start out sexually undifferentiated, develop into females, and with environmental influences, may develop into males. Males are typically larger.

6179231037_10696ec959_b

LONGEVITY: Reported 11 years in captivity.

CONSERVATION:  IUCN Least concern (LC)

REMARKS: The Juvenile Acanthurus pyroferus (Mimic Surgeonfish) is a mimic surgeonfish or tang. It looks similar to the adult Centropyge flavissima (an angelfish) which is presumably an advantage as the adult angelfish has a sharp preopercular spine, while the young Mimic Surgeonfish has small, ineffective immature peduncular spines.

 

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

The Australian Museum australianmuseum.net.au/lemonpeel-angelfish-centropyge-fl…

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

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/165878/0

flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/6764335749/in/set-72157606840726733/

EOL  http://eol.org/pages/210322/details

fishbase   http://www.fishbase.se/summary/5457

Tags: , , ,
Comment

3-24-16 Flame Angelfish from Ron’s Tropical Reef Series

Filed under: ANGELFISHES, CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 24, 2016

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

Genus/species: Centropyge loricula

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Typically bright orange-red color;black blotch near the head and 4–5 black bars across the body; flaring caudal fin about half the body height. Orange-red dorsal and anal fins tipped in alternating purple-blue and black bands. Males are brighter and larger than females.

Max. length: 15 cm (6 in).

Centropyge loricula14041213549_e949c9ebca_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found among tropical lagoons and coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. Depth from 15–60 m (45-180 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: The Flame Angelfish feeds on algae and marine invertebrates associated with coral reefs.

REPRODUCTION: Like angelfish in general, this species begins life undifferentiated sexually, changes into females, and may develop into males with one or more females in a territorial harem. After a short mating ritual, male and female(s) rise in the water column to shed and fertilize gametes that develop within the plankton.

PREDATORS: C. loricula is preyed upon by many reef fishes.

IMG_0865

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern.

REMARKS: Members of the genus Centropyge are the dwarf or pygmy angelfishes. Territorial males may determine dominance by grappling with interlocked jaws, a behavior humans sometimes mistake for a fishy kiss.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Ron’s flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/14041213549/in/album-72157625992053826/

Ron’s WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1c8

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/7814

EOL eol.org/pages/219464/details

Animal Diversity web animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Centropyge_loricu…

Taken on 1-28-14, 9-11-12,

Tags: , ,
Comment

3-22-16 Lyretail Hogfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 21, 2016

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

Genus/species: Bodianus anthioides

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Brown head and forebody with a long pig-like snout, white rear body with scattered brown spots and a deeply forked tail.

Max length: 24.0 cm (9.5 in)

25762047822_9709aa1a9e_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Tropical Indian Ocean inhabiting seaward reefs at depths of 20–60 m (65- 200 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: The Lyretail Hogfish is a benthic (bottom) feeder of invertebrates and small crustaceans.

REPRODUCTION: They are oviparous with distinct pairing during breeding.

25894961095_960b8b3ea7_k

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

REMARKS: Hogfish definition: Any of various wrasses of the genus Bodianus. Also described as possessing a very elongated snout which it uses to search for crustaceans buried in the sediment. Interestingly it is from this very long “pig-like” snout and its rooting behavior that the hogfish gets its name.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Reef Fish Identification of the Tropical Pacific, Allen et al. Odyssey Pub. 2003 p.230

Ron’s flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/albums/72157625992053826/

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Bod...

EOL eol.org/pages/216945/details

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/187715/0

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  wp.me/p1DZ4b-1FE

 

 

Tags: , ,
Comment

3-21-16 Goldring Bristletooth from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

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

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)

Genus/species: Ctenochaetus strigosus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Brown as a juvenile and blue or burgundy as an adult with pale yellow spots on head and pale yellow pinstripes on body. Conspicuous, broad yellow ring around the eye.

Max. length: 15 cm (6 in).

4295978629_a74cba2281_o

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: C. strigosus is found in the Central Pacific in coral-rich areas of deep lagoon and seaward reefs.

DIET IN THE WILD: Herbivore, grazing algae and detritus using its comb-like teeth. Their diet may contain high concentrations of the dinoflagellate that produces ciguatera toxin, and so bristletooths and their predators are known to sometimes concentrate sufficient toxin to cause illness in humans.

4770697730_79fe352a24_b

REPRODUCTION: Pelagic spawner. Lifespan 5 yrs or longer.

Goldring Bristletooth aka Spotted Surgeonfish (brown variant)13161055833_2f47ca36cb_b

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern

REMARKS: It has also been commonly observed to clean algal growths from the shells of sea turtles in Hawaiian waters.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/177949/0

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/8679225491/in/set-72157608332652056/  

EOL eol.org/pages/220815/details

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/6015

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

Tags: , , ,
Comment

3-18-16 Orange Spine Unicornfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

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

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)

Genus/species: Naso lituratus

IMG_5124

Photo above Male

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Orange Spine Unicornfish is a hornless unicornfish. Coloration varies among populations. A prominent vertical black stripe from eyes to mouth is present on its face. The continuous unnotched dorsal fin is black with with a pale blue line at base and a broad outer white zone. The anal fin is orange.  The bright orange caudal peduncule has two forward-directed venomous knife-like keeled bony plates.   The caudal fin is emarginate (slight inward curve) with adult males having trailing filaments from each corner.

Length to 46 cm (18 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific over coral, rock or rubble of lagoon and seaward reefs from the lower surge zone to 90 m (300 ft). Introduced Florida and Georgia.

DIET IN THE WILD: Primarily leafy brown algae especially Sargassum spp.

REPRODUCTION: Fertilization is external with open water pair spawning. Nonguarders

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Rons flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/2979734770/in/set 72157608332652056

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

fishbase  http://www.fishbase.org/summary/1264

USGS  http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=2553

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/177950/0

Tags: , ,
Comment

3-17-16 Bignose Unicornfish aka Bumphead Naso from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 17, 2016

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Acanthuridae  (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)

Genus/Species: Naso vlamingii

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Bignose Unicornfish has a convexly rounded prominent snout and extremely tall dorsal and anal fins. A broad blue band extends from eye to front of rostral protuberance. The body is gray, ovate and compressed with blue vertical lines which break up into small blue spots dorsally and ventrally. The tips of the tail fin are unusually long.

Length to 60 cm (23 in)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found in the Indo-Pacific in deep lagoons and seaward reefs from 4–50 m (12-150 ft) off steep slopes.

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivorous, feeds on zooplankton.

REPRODUCTION: External fertilization. Egg scatterers, non-guarding. Remarks: Courting males are able to instantaneously turn iridescent blue.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern (LC)

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/6024

EOL eol.org/pages/213847/hierarchy_entries/44696490/details

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608332652056/with/3120136472/

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

Tags: , , ,
Comment

3-16-16 Bluespine Unicornfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 16, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, Tangs and Unicornfishes)

Genus/species: Naso unicornis

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Naso unicornis is gray to olive with blue tail spines.  The short forehead horn does not project past mouth. The peduncular plates and spines are blue; dorsal and anal fins yellowish with narrow blue stripes. Adult males tend be larger and have a better developed horn, peduncular spines, and caudal filaments than females.

Length to 70 cm (27.5 in)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific. The Bluespine Unicornfish inhabits channels, moats, lagoons and seaward reefs with strong surge. It typically occurs  in small groups at depths of 1–80 m (3-250 ft.).

DIET IN THE WILD: It is diurnal feeding on macro- and micr oalgae, including brown algae like Sargassum.

REPRODUCTION: External fertilization. Pair-spawning has been observed; pelagic larvae.

PREDATORS: An important food fish on most tropical islands. Long-lived, up to 35
years. Preyed upon by other fishes.

CONSERVATION: IUCN; least concern.

REMARKS: Rostral horn responsible for species’ common name. Surgeonfishes have a single scalpel-like peduncular spine which folds into a groove while unicornfishes have 1 or 2 sharp, fixed keel-like peduncular plates. The spines are used offensively and defensively.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608332652056/with/3185901763/

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

fishbase http://www.fishbase.org/summary/1265

EOL  http://eol.org/pages/213498/details

Tags: , ,
Comment

3-15-16 Spotted Unicornfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Fishes

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 15, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Acanthuridae (Surgeonfishes, tangs, unicornfishes)

Genus/species: Naso brevirostris

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The Spotted Unicornfish is olive-brown to blue-grey with dark spots on head and vertical rows of spots and lines on sides. The tail is whitish with a dark area at base. A long, tapering horn on forehead of adults is lacking in juveniles.

Max length: 60 cm (23.5 in)

25751114116_2f37d710be_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Naso brevirostris is found in the Indo-Pacific: East Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, southern Japan and Australia  It prefers mid-waters along steep outer lagoon and seaward reef drop-offs, from 4–45 m (12-150 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: Juveniles: benthic algae; adults: mainly zooplankton.

REPRODUCTION: Pelagic spawners

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

REMARKS: Unicornfishes (Naso spp.) are characterized by 2 sharp, fixed (not moveable as in surgeonfishes), keel-like plates on the caudal peduncle. The skin is leathery with tiny non-overlapping scales, and teeth have finely serrate edges. Males of many Naso species are able to display spectacular iridescent markings during courtship.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Ron’s flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608332652056/with/4332770529/

fishbase  fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=6021&genus…

Encyclopedia of Life  eol.org/pages/213852/details

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/177990/0

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

Tags: , ,
Comment