| Marblefish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Aplodactylidae |
| Genus: | Aplodactylus |
| Species: | A. arctidens |
| Binomial name | |
| Aplodactylus arctidens Richardson, 1839 | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Aplodactylus arctidens, the marblefish or southern seacarp, is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Aplodactylus arctidens was first formally described in 1842 by the Scottish naval surgeon, polar explorer and naturalist Sir John Richardson with the type locality given as Port Arthur on Tasmania. [2] The specific name arctidens is a compound of arctatus meaning "drawn close together" and dens meaning "teeth", a reference to the densely packed rows of teeth in both jaws. [3]
Aplodactylus arctidens has an elongate body which is one third to one fifth as deep as its standard length. It has a short snout and a rounded head which has a small mouth which is slightly downturned and has fleshy lips, the upper lip projecting. The jaws have small, tricuspid teeth with a few sharply pointed ones too and they are set on 3-4 rows in the jaws. The outermost row has the largest teeth and there are two patches of vomerine teeth. There are two pairs of nostrils, the front pair have fleshy flap with small tentacles on the front and rear margins. There is a wide, flattened spine on the operculum which does not reach the margin. The dorsal fin has a long base but it is nearly split in two by a deep and wide incision between the spiny and soft rayed parts. [4] The dorsal fin contains 16-19 spines and 16-18 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6-8 soft rays. [1] It has large pectoral fins which may be longer than the head and the lowest 5-6 rays are unbranched and fleshy. The body is covered in small, cycloid scales which are embedded in the skin, these extend on to the cheeks and operculum and create a sheath along base of the spiny portion of the dorsal fin. [4] The largest total length recorded is 70 cm (28 in). The overall colour of the head, body and fins is olive green or brown with a large number of small whitish irregular spots, blotches and lines. [5]
Aplodactylus arctidens is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It occurs in southern Australia from immediately east of Mallacoota in Victoria east to Kangaroo Island in South Australia and in southern Tasmania. [4] It is found throughout New Zealand from the Three Kings Islands in the north to the Snares Islands 200 km (120 mi) south of New Zealand's South Island, it is also found at the Chatham Islands. [5] It is found on weedy reefs in shallow water at depths between 0 and 20 m (0 and 66 ft). [4]
Aplodactylus arctidens is mainly herbivorous grazing on algae, mainly red and brown algae, but it will eat any small animals it finds within the algae. [4] It is a solitary species which defends a territory, In New Zealand spawning occurs in August and September. [5]
Aplodactylus arctidens is not pursued by fisheries, its flesh is not reputed to be very palatable. [1]
Cirrhitidae, the hawkfishes, are a family of marine perciform ray-finned fishes found in tropical seas and which are associated with coral reefs.
The porae, the grey morwong, blue morwong, butterfish, Douglas' morwong, Eastern blue morwong, great perch, queen snapper, rubberlip morwong or silver morwong, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, traditionally regarded as belonging to the family Cheilodactylidae, the members of which are commonly known as morwongs. found around south eastern Australia and the north eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand at depths of about 10 to 100 metres, on sandy and rocky coasts.
Chironemus is a genus of marine ray finned fish, commonly known as kelpfishes, belonging to the family Chironemidae. They are found in the temperate waters of the Southern Pacific Ocean.
The notchheaded marblefish is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Aplodactylus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes, commonly known as marblefishes or sea carps. It is the only genus in the monogeneric family, Aplodactylidae. The fishes in this genus are found in the south eastern Indian Ocean and the southern Pacific Ocean.
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St. Paul's fingerfin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, traditionally regarded as belonging to the family Cheilodactylidae, the members of which are commonly known as morwongs. It is native to the southwestern Indian Ocean and southeastern Atlantic Ocean.
Latris lineata, the striped trumpeter, common trumpeter, copper moki, Hobart-town trumpeter, kokikohi, real trumpeter, Tasmanian striped trumpeter or Tasmanian trumpeter, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Latridae, the trumpeters. It is native to rocky reefs in the temperate oceans of the southern hemisphere.
The spotted hawkfish, the blotched hawkfish, redbarred hawkfish, boar hawkfish or threadfin hawkfish, ≥is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region. A common species, it is found in rocky and coral areas of subtidal coastal reefs.
The coral hawkfish, the pixy hawkfish or sharp-headed hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is native to tropical reefs of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It occasionally is found in the aquarium trade.
The Redspotted Hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a Hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found at depths from 2 to 46 m on tropical reefs in the Western Atlantic. The Redspotted Hawkfish is also found in the aquarium trade.
Amblycirrhitus is a genus of ray-finned fishes, hawkfishes belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. These fishes are found on tropical reefs worldwide.
Cirrhitus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, hawkfishes from the family Cirrhitidae. The species in this genus are found on tropical reefs worldwide.
Latridopsis is a genus of marine ray finned fish belonging to the family Latridae, the trumpeters. They are found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean and the southeastern Indian Ocean.
Apsilus is a small genus of marine ray-finned fish, snappers belonging to the family Lutjanidae. The two species within the genus are native to the Atlantic Ocean,
The Australian bandfish is a species of bandfish in the family Cepolidae. It has been reported from the Indo-Pacific coastal regions of Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia, although some of these records may represent confusion with other species.
Scatophagus is a genus of ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Scatophagidae. They are found in the Indo-Pacific region. Species in this genus are referred as spotted scats.
The rock cale, also known as the cockatoo fish, cocky, joey, rock cocky or sea carp, is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Aplodactylus punctatus, the Zamba marblefish, is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean of the west coast of South America.
Aplodactylus westralis, the Western sea carp or cockatoo morwong, is a species of marine ray finned fish, one of the marblefishes belonging to the family Aplodactylidae. It is found in the eastern Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.