Arc-eye hawkfish

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Arc-eye hawkfish
Pez halcon (Paracirrhites arcatus), Zanzibar, Tanzania, 2024-05-29, DD 65.jpg
Paracirrhites arcatus in Zanzibar (Tanzania)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Cirrhitidae
Genus: Paracirrhites
Species:
P. arcatus
Binomial name
Paracirrhites arcatus
(G. Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms [2]
  • Cirrhites arcatusG. Cuvier, 1829
  • Amblycirrhitus arcatus(G. Cuvier, 1829)
  • Gymnocirrhites arcatus(G. Cuvier, 1829)
  • Cirrhites amblycephalus Bleeker, 1857
  • Paracirrhites amblycephalus(Bleeker, 1857)

The arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus), the ringeye hawkfish, horseshoe hawkfish or whiteline hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in shallow waters in the tropical Indo-Pacific on reefs, resting on coral heads much of the time.

Contents

Taxonomy

The arc-eye hawkfish was first formally described in 1829 as Cirrhites arcatus by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as Mauritius. [3] The specific name arcatus means “arched”, an allusion which Cuvier did not explain but it may refer to the horseshoe shaped mark behind the eye. [4] Some authorities treat Paracirrhites amblycephalus as a valid species [3] but Fishbase treats this taxon as a synonym of P. arcatus. [2]

Description

Arc-eye hawkfish at Kona, Hawaii Arc-Eye Hawkfish.jpg
Arc-eye hawkfish at Kona, Hawaii

The arc-eye hawkfish has a relatively deep body, the standard length being around 2.7 times its length. It has a smooth upper preopercular margin and a slightly rounded to truncate caudal fin. [5] The dorsal fin contains 10 spines and 11 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6 soft rays, each dorsal fin spine being tipped with a branched cirrus. [6] This species reaches a maximum published total length of 20 cm (7.9 in). [2] This species has a variable background colour on the body, the typical colour being pale pinkish brown. [7] There is a horseshoe-shaped mark to the rear of the eye that consists of three thin lines. The gill cover has three orange bands set in a light blue area. A white to pink stripe is frequently present from around halfway along the flank and running to the rear. [8]

Distribution and habitat

The arc-eye hawkfish is widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from is from East Africa from southern Somalia to South Africa eastwards across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific Ocean east to the Hawaiian Islands and Pitcairn Islands, north to Japan and south to Australia. [1] In Australia it has been recorded from off Shark Bay to the Muiron Islands and offshore reefs of Western Australia, at Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and from the northern Great Barrier Reef and reefs in the Coral Sea south to the Solitary Islands in New South Wales. It has also been recorded at the Australian Indian Ocean territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; and the Tasman Sea locations of Middleton Reef, Elizabeth Reef and Norfolk Island. It is a benthic species associated with coral reefs. It usually can be found in lagoon and seaward reefs, at a depth of 1–30 m (3 ft 3 in – 98 ft 5 in), with a maximum of 91 m (299 ft). [2]

P. arcatus at Great Barrier Reef Paracirrhites arcatus 1.jpg
P. arcatus at Great Barrier Reef
P. arcatus at Atol Chuuk Paracirrhites arcuatus.jpg
P. arcatus at Atol Chuuk

Biology

The arc-eye hawkfish is typically seen sitting motionless on the reef amongst corals. [7] It prefers the heads of Pocillopora , Stylophora and Acropora corals and is solitary. [2] It preys mostly on shrimps, small fishes, crabs, and other crustaceans. [1] There are main colour morphs and these occur together with the darker fish on basalt dominated areas and the pale fish on corals, the different fish frequently being only a few metres from each other. [6] They form pairs to spawn, the pair ascending into the water column to release their gametes. [2]

Utilisation

The arc-eye hawkfish is collected for, and is a relatively common species in, the aquarium trade. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cirrhitidae</span> Family of fishes

Cirrhitidae, the hawkfishes, are a family of marine perciform ray-finned fishes found in tropical seas and which are associated with coral reefs.

<i>Cirrhitichthys</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted hawkfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longnose hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The longnose hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found on tropical reefs of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, where it can be found at depths around 10 to 100 m. It prefers the steep outer slopes of the reefs amongst gorgonians and black corals. This species can reach 13 cm (5.1 in) in total length. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. It is currently the only known member in its genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flame hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The flame hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is native to tropical reefs of the Pacific Ocean at depths of from 1 to 10 metres. This species is also found in the aquarium trade. It is the only known member of its genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackside hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The black-side hawkfish, freckled hawkfish or Forster's hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is from the Indo-Pacific. It is occasionally found in the aquarium trade and is also of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. It grows to a total length of 22 cm (9 in).

<i>Paracirrhites xanthus</i> Species of fish

Paracirrhites xanthus, the yellow hawkfish or the blueline yellow hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. it is found in the eastern central Pacific. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitespot hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The whitespot hawkfish, the halfspotted hawkfish, multicolored hand-fish and ornate hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redspotted hawkfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<i>Paracirrhites</i> Genus of fishes

Paracirrhites is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, hawkfishes belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. These fishes are found on tropical reefs of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.

<i>Amblycirrhitus</i> Genus of fishes

Amblycirrhitus is a genus of ray-finned fishes, hawkfishes belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. These fishes are found on tropical reefs worldwide.

<i>Cirrhitops</i> Genus of fishes

Cirrhitops is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, hawkfishes from the family Cirrhitidae. They are found on tropical reefs of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

<i>Cirrhitus</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swallowtail hawkfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Splendid hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The splendid hawkfish, also known as mottled hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found on tropical reefs of the Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redbarred hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The redbarred hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.

<i>Cirrhitops hubbardi</i> Species of fish

Cirrhitops hubbardi, Hubbard's hawkfish or the white-spotted hawkfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twospot hawkfish</span> Species of fish

The twospot hawkfish, or twinspot hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. it is found in the Indo-Pacific. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Greenfield, D. & Williams, I. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Paracirrhites arcatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T67997869A115453776. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T67997869A68001716.en . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Paracirrhites arcatus" in FishBase. June 2021 version.
  3. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Paracirrhites". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (25 February 2021). "Order CENTRARCHIFORMES: Families CENTRARCHIDAE, ELASSOMATIDAE, ENOPLOSIDAE, SINIPERCIDAE, APLODACTYLIDAE, CHEILODACTYLIDAE, CHIRONEMIDAE, CIRRHITIDAE, LATRIDAE, PERCICHTHYIDAE, DICHISTIIDAE, GIRELLIDAE, KUHLIIDAE, KYPHOSIDAE, OPLEGNATHIDAE, TERAPONTIDAE, MICROCANTHIDAE and SCORPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  5. ↑ Randall, J. E. (1963). "Review of the hawkfishes (family Cirrhitidae)". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 114 (3472): 389–451. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.114-3472.389.
  6. 1 2 Bray, D.J. (2019). "Paracirrhites arcatus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Paracirrhites arcatus". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  8. ↑ Mark McGrouther (20 April 2021). "Ringeye Hawkfish, Paracirrhites arcatus (Cuvier, 1829)". Australian Museum. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "Paracirrhites arcatus". Saltcorner. Bob Goemans. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
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