| Aplodactylus punctatus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Aplodactylidae |
| Genus: | Aplodactylus |
| Species: | A. punctatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Aplodactylus punctatus Valenciennes, 1832 | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
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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 punctatus was first formally described in 1832 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with the type locality given as Valparaiso in Chile. [2] As it was the only species in the new genus Aplodactylus at the time of its description, it is the type species of that genus. [3] The specific name punctatus means "spotted". [4]
Aplodactylus punctatus has an elongate oblong and compressed body. The small mouth is located ventrally to the snout. The upper lips are fleshy, The teeth in the jaws are made up of three rows of tricuspid incisor like teeth with the outer row being larger than the others. There is a flattened spine on the operculum. The dorsal fin is deeply incised, [5] it contains 16-17 spines and 18-21 soft rays, [1] the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin is highest at front. The anal fin contains 3 spines. 2 of which are small and partly free of the membrane with the third tightly attached to the first ray, [5] and 6-9 soft rays. [1] The lowest pectoral fin rays are simpled have robust tips extending beyond the membrane. There is a scaly, flesh sheath at the base of the spiny part of the dorsal fin. [5] The maximum recorded total length for this species is 43.7 cm (17.2 in). [1] The overall colour of this fish is olive green, fading ventrally, with the back and flanks having pale blotches, some of which create bars The body and the fins densely covered with small black spots, these sometimes merge to make short wavy lines. Fishes from the southern part of its range can be orange to yellow marked with black spots. [5]
Aplodactylus punctatus is found in the temperate waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean along the western coast of South America where it is found from Callao in Peru south to Talcahuano in Chile. It is found in the shallow coastal waters, the juveniles in tidal pools and the adults below the low tide mark, it is normally associated with the kelp Lessonia trabeculata , [1] at depths of . [5]
Aplodactylus punctatus is mostly herbivorous, grazing on brown, red and green algae, with a strong preference for green and red algae, digesting these by acid hydrolysis. [1] This species has a close association with the kelp L. trabeculata throughout its life cycle. The juveniles feed on animals which live on the kelp fronds and so reducing the amount of grazers on the kelp and use the kelp to shelter in. The adults are herbivorous, consuming the kelp tissue for food. If the tissue eaten is reproductive, the grazing also act to reduce the amount of epiphytic algae on and around the sori. The algal zoospores can stay viable after digestion by the fishes, and microscopic sporophytes were produced at similar rates in undigested and digested reproductive tissue. There appears to be a positive link between the Zamba marblefish and the kelp occurring throughout their geographic distribution and the fish may function as a disperser of L. trabeculata. [6]
Aplodactylus punctatus is reputed to have very palatable flesh. [1]
The large kelpfish, the Eastern kelpfish, hiwihiwi, surgefish or kelpfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a kelpfish belonging to the family Chironemidae. It is found in southern Australia, and off the North Island of New Zealand, at depths down to 30 m.
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.
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.
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.
Cirrhitichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, hawkfishes, from the family Cirrhitidae. They are found on tropical reefs in the Indian and western Pacific oceans. Some species can be found in the aquarium trade.
Centropyge tibicen, the keyhole angelfish, black angelfish, whitespot angelfish or puller angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Chirodactylus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, traditionally regarded as belonging to the family Cheilodactylidae, the members of which are commonly known as morwongs. They are native to the Atlantic, Indian and eastern Pacific oceans off southern Africa and South America.
The dusky 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. It is native to the western and southern coastal reefs of Australia. This species is the only known member of its genus.
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.
The blackspotted hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is native to rocky shores of the western Indian Ocean. This species grows to 17 cm (6.7 in) in total length. This species is the only known member of its genus.
The swallowtail hawkfish, also known as the lyretail hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found on to tropical reefs in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. This species grows to 15 cm (5.9 in) in total length. It is also found in the aquarium trade. This species is the only known member of its genus.
The sixband hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean. This species grows to 7.8 cm (3.1 in) in standard length. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Wilhelm's hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in tropical waters at depths of 1 to 55 m over rocky substrates. It is only known around Pitcairn Island and Easter Island. This species grows to a length of 12 cm (4.7 in). This species is the only known member of its genus.
Centropyge shepardi, the mango angelfish, Shepard’s angelfish or Shepard’s pygmy angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
Pagetopsis macropterus species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Channichthyidae, the crocodile icefishes. This species is found in the Southern Ocean.
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 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.
Bovichtus angustifrons, the dragonet, horny, horny thornfish, marblefish, thornfish or variegated marblefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a temperate icefish or thornfish, belonging to the family Bovichtidae. It is endemic to southeastern Australia and Tasmania on rocky reefs in shallow waters.
The Arctic shanny is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Stichaeidae, the pricklebacks and shannies. This species occurs in the North Pacific, Arctic and western North Atlantic Oceans.