Chilomycterus reticulatus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
Family: | Diodontidae |
Genus: | Chilomycterus |
Species: | C. reticulatus |
Binomial name | |
Chilomycterus reticulatus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Chilomycterus reticulatus, the spotfin burrfish, spotted burrfish, Pacific burrfish, spotfin porcupinefish or few-spined porcupinefish, is a species of fish in the genus Chilomycterus , which is part of the porcupinefish family Diodontidae. [3]
Chilomycterus reticulatus has a rotund body, which can be inflated, with a wide, blunt head and large eyes. The nasal organ of adults sits in an open, pitted cup which in juveniles is a tentacle with two openings. The teeth are fused into a parrot like beak with no frontal groove and the mouth is large. The fins lack spines and there are no pelvic fins, the dorsal fin has 12-14 rays, the anal fin has 11-14 rays, the caudal fin has 10 rays and there are 19-22 rays in the large pectoral fins. The body is covered in small spines which are triangular on cross section, some of which are reduced to plates under the skin. There is a row of 8-10 spines which runs from the head to the dorsal fin, and there are one or two spines on the caudal peduncle. [4]
Adult C. reticulatus are grey to brown in colour with a black gular band and small black spots on upper surfaces and fins. The pelagic juveniles are blue in colour with dark spots above, the spots reaching to the belly. [5] They grow to a standard length of 50 cm but up to 75 cm has been recorded [6] [7]
Chilomycterus reticulatus is rather patchily distributed in warm temperate seas throughout the world in the Pacific, Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Oceans. In the Atlantic it reaches as far north as North Carolina in the west and Portugal in the east and south to South Africa and Brazil, in the Indo-Pacific it extends north to Japan and south to northern New Zealand and in the eastern Pacific it is found from Chile north to California. [5] [1]
Chilomycterus reticulatus is found among coral and rocky reefs at depths down to 140m, but has also been caught in trawls over softer substrates. It is normally found at depths of less than 25m and it feeds mainly on hard shelled invertebrates, including molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans. They eggs and larvae are pelagic, juveniles are often found among floating weed mats and become demersal at around 20 cm. The adults are active by day and at night they sleep braced against the substrate. They are frequently encountered washed up on beaches. [4] [8] [7]
The black sea bass is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea bass from the subfamily Serraninae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the groupers and anthias. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, where it is an important species for commercial and recreational fisheries.
The common ling, also known as the white ling or simply the ling, is a large member of the family Lotidae, a group of cod-like fishes. It resembles the related rocklings, but it is much larger and has a single barbel. This species is unrelated to the pink ling, Genypterus blacodes, from the Southern Hemisphere. The common ling is found in the northern Atlantic, mainly off Europe, and into the Mediterranean Basin. It is an important quarry species for fisheries, especially in the northeastern Atlantic, although some doubts exist as to the sustainability of the fisheries. As an edible species, it is eaten fresh, frozen, or dried, but also preserved in lye, while the roe is a delicacy in Spain.
The striped burrfish or simply burrfish is a member of the porcupinefish family Diodontidae.
The gray angelfish, also written as grey angelfish and known in Jamaica as the pot cover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
Mullus barbatus is a species of goatfish found in the Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, where its range extends from Scandinavia to Senegal. They are fished, mostly by trawling, with the flesh being well regarded. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed their conservation status as being of "least concern".
The spot-fin porcupinefish, also known as the spotted porcupinefish, black-spotted porcupinefish or simply porcupinefish, is a member of the family Diodontidae.
The thornback ray, or thornback skate, is a species of ray fish in the family Rajidae.
The blue trevally, also known as the banded trevally, barred trevally, Ferdau's trevally or Forskaal's jackfish, is a common, widespread species of pelagic marine fish classified in the jack family, Carangidae. The blue trevally is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific and central Pacific regions, ranging from South Africa in the west to Hawaii in the east. It is a moderately large fish, growing to a recorded maximum length of 70 cm, with the number of rays in the second dorsal fin and the colouring serving as diagnostic features of the species. The species inhabits waters to depths of 60 m, generally inhabiting reefs, beaches, lagoons, and areas with sandy substrates. It is a predatory fish, taking other fish, prawns, crabs, and molluscs, and very little is known of the species' reproductive biology. The blue trevally is of varying importance to fisheries throughout its range, with some regions having high catches of the fish. It is considered to be a gamefish, and is sought after for its excellent eating qualities.
Chromis chromis, the damselfish or Mediterranean chromis, is a small species of ray-finned fish of the family Pomacentridae from the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Anisotremus virginicus, the porkfish, also known as the Atlantic porkfishsweetlips, dogfish or paragrate grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean.
The doubleband surgeonfish or lieutenant tang, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Acanthuridae. It is found in the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region and grows to a maximum length of 31 cm (12 in).
Apogon imberbis, the cardinalfish, the Mediterranean cardinalfish or king of the mullets, is a species of ray-finned fish, a cardinalfish belonging to the family Apogonidae. It is widely distributed in the Mediterranean and along the warm temperate and tropical eastern Atlantic coasts from Portugal south to the Gulf of Guinea.
The bartail flathead, also known as the Indian flathead, gobi or Indo-Pacific flathead, is a species of largely marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Platycephalidae, the flatheads. This species is found in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Ocean, and has invaded the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The ornate wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the rocky coasts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries, is also popular as a game fish, and can be found in the aquarium trade.
The piper gurnard, also known as the piper or the lyre gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trigla.
Chilomycterus is a genus of diodontid tetraodontiform fishes commonly called "burrfish."
The blackfin slatey, also known as blackfoot sweetlips, blackfin sweetlips or blacktip sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western central Pacific Ocean.
Orthopristis chrysoptera, the pigfish, hogfish, piggy perch, redmouth grunt or sailor's choice, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean. This name derives from the grunting or chattering noise these fish make by rubbing their pharyngeal teeth together.
The broomtail grouper or mangrove grouper is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Serranidae which is found in the eastern Pacific along the western coast of the Americas from California to Peru.
The sailfin rubberlip is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Indian Ocean.