| Cyclichthys orbicularis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Diodontidae |
| Genus: | Cyclichthys |
| Species: | C. orbicularis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyclichthys orbicularis (Bloch, 1785) | |
Cyclichthys orbicularis, known commonly as the birdbeak burrfish among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Diodontidae.
The Birdbeak burrfish is a medium size fish and can grow to be up to 30 cm (12 in) long. [1] It has a small mouth. This round fish is covered in short spines, each of which has a triangular base. [2] All of the spines on the top of the head have three subdermal roots. [3] It is pale brown above and white below and has round brown spots scattered across the body, especially towards the tail. The fins are translucent. [2]
The Birdbeak burrfish is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific region from Red Sea to the Philippines. [4] It is also one of the more common visitors to the waters around Cape Town in South Africa. [2] It is usually found on coastal shelves, occurring from the surface to a depth of around 150 m (490 ft). It most commonly occurs in areas where the sea floor is covered in a soft sediment, such as sand, but may also occur above reefs. [5]
This species is able to inflate itself by ingesting water. In this state, it is spherical and its spines are erect. It moves little when inflated. [2] It is sometimes trawled in large numbers. [5] A nocturnal species. Active at night and twilight.
A study published in 2015 examined the development of offspring produced by a wild-caught but captive pair of birdbeak birdfish. The two individuals lay together on the sediment the day before spawning and produced two spawns of fertilised eggs. The embryo and primordial eyes formed within a day of spawning, with the larvae hatching the next day. They were, on average, 3.5 mm (0.14 in) long. At this point, the mouth and anus were still closed and the head and trunk were covered by a vestibular dermal sac. Membranous pectoral fins were clearly visible. Melanophores and xanthophores were scattered across the body and the eyes were unpigmented. The eyes became pigmented and the mouth opened within 19 hours of hatching. [6]
Two days after hatching the dorsal and anal fins were separated. After five days soft rays became visible in the pectoral fins and the young fish had reached a length of 3.7 mm (0.15 in). The dorsal and anal fins also had soft rays a week later. At seventeen days after hatching, 21 pectoral, 12 dorsal and 10 anal soft rays were present and the spines started to emerge. They had grown to a length of 7.6 mm (0.30 in). They become rigid by day 39 after hatching, although they continued to grow develop beyond this point. The fish were 20.8 mm (0.82 in) long at this age. [6]
The Tetraodontiformes are an order of highly derived ray-finned fish, also called the Plectognathi. Sometimes these are classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes. The Tetraodontiformes are represented by 10 extant families and at least 349 species overall; most are marine and dwell in and around tropical coral reefs, but a few species are found in freshwater streams and estuaries. They have no close relatives, and descend from a line of coral-dwelling species that emerged around 80 million years ago.
Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored fish of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific. Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs, but a few, such as the oceanic triggerfish, are pelagic. While several species from this family are popular in the marine aquarium trade, they are often notoriously ill-tempered.
The Zeidae are a family of large, showy, deep-bodied zeiform marine fish—the "true dories". Found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, the family contains just six species in two genera. All species are important and highly regarded food fish supporting commercial fisheries, and some—such as the John Dory —are enjoyed in large public aquaria. These fish are caught primarily by deep-sea trawling.
The graysby is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic. It is associated with reefs and is a quarry species for commercial and recreational fisheries.
The silver sweep, also known as the false pompano, sweep, trumps or windawindawi, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the subfamily Scorpidinae of the sea chub family Kyphosidae. It is native to the southwestern Pacific Ocean from Australia to New Zealand.
The parore also known as luderick, black bream, black snapper or blackfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the family Kyphosidae which is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean off Australia and New Zealand. Parore or paraore is the common name in New Zealand but in Australia luderick is preferred.
Holacanthus bermudensis, also known as the blue angelfish or Bermuda blue angelfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The royal angelfish, or regal angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae, and the monotypic genus Pygoplites. It is found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceans. It can grow as long as 25 cm.
Cyclichthys spilostylus, known commonly as the spotbase burrfish or yellowspotted burrfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Diodontidae.
The mutton snapper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
The Pacific goliath grouper, also known as the Pacific itajara grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean where it is associated with reefs. It is related to the Atlantic goliath grouper.
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.
Blennioclinus brachycephalus, the Lace klipfish, is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean around South Africa. This species can reach a maximum length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) TL. This species primarily preys on benthic fauna including isopods, amphipods, and mollusks.
Clinus agilis, the agile klipfish, is a species of clinid found in subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Namibia to South Africa where it is commonly found in estuaries and tide pools. This species can reach a maximum length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).
Stegastes pictus, the yellowtip damselfish, is a species of damselfish found near the sea bed on shallow rocky reefs off the coast of Brazil, where it is endemic. It is a small, laterally-compressed, dark brown fish with yellow pectoral and caudal fins. It feeds on algae and detritus and is often found in the vicinity of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis. It is a territorial fish and forms a pair bond in the breeding season. The eggs are laid in a shallow scoop on the seabed and the male tends them to keep them well-aerated.
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.
Ogcocephalus notatus, the oval batfish, is a species of batfish in the family Ogcocephalidae. It is found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean.
The southern stargazer is a species of marine fish in the family Uranoscopidae and genus Astroscopus. They are native to the United States.
The Hawaiian chub, also known as the insular rudderfish or bicolor chub, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub belonging to the family Kyphosidae. This species is found in the Central Pacific Ocean.
Pachymetopon aeneum, the blue hottentot, is a species of marine demersal fish in the seabream family of order Perciformes. It is endemic to the south and east coasts of South Africa.
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