Barrelfish | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Scombriformes |
Family: | Centrolophidae |
Genus: | Hyperoglyphe |
Species: | H. perciformis |
Binomial name | |
Hyperoglyphe perciformis (Mitchill, 1818) | |
Hyperoglyphe perciformis, the barrelfish is a primarily bathypelagic species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Centrolophidae. [2] The barrelfish is found in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Despite being in the medusafish family, the barrelfish does not associate with jellyfish or other medusae. It is considered a deep-water gamefish. [3]
The barrelfish primarily has a brown to black coloration on their back, fading to gray on the sides of the body. The dorsal fin normally has 8 spines, and 20 to 22 soft rays. Barrelfish are relatively deep bodied, and have large eyes adapted for sight in the bathypelagic zone. Younger barrelfish have smaller eyes compared to adults, as they do not inhabit deeper water until they grow larger. The young barrelfish found in the upper water columns are often no larger than 1 ft (30 cm), but adults can grow up to 3 ft (91 cm) in length and weigh up to 27 lb (12 kg). [3]
The native range of barrelfish includes the subtropical and temperate waters of the Northern Atlantic Ocean, where they are heavily associated with the deeper waters of the Gulf Stream and the Gulf of Mexico. In North America, barrelfish range from Nova Scotia, to the Florida Keys. In Europe, their range is more restricted, being found from Ireland to Portugal. [3]
Young barrelfish inhabit all levels of the water column, and have a habit of examining any floating object which crosses their path. It is irrelevant whether the item is a natural object such as a log, or man-made flotsam such as barrels, which is where the name "barrelfish" originated from. Adults are more frequently found in deep water over the continental slopes, appearing first around 300 ft (91 m) and being found down to at least 1,200 ft (370 m). [4] Barrelfish are occasionally found in the same environment as groupers, deep-water snappers, and tilefishes. The diet of the barrelfish consists of crustaceans, molluscs, and fish. [3]
Barrelfish are of minor commercial importance but are not often targeted by commercial fishermen due to the inability to find them consistently. They are often caught as bycatch in the swordfish, deep-water grouper and snapper fisheries. [1] [3] Recreational anglers also occasionally catch barrelfish whilst deep dropping for snappers and groupers, or fishing for swordfish. The meat is of high quality, with a mild flavor. Barrelfish can be prepared and cooked in a variety of fashions and reportedly freezes well. [4] Some anglers consider them trash fish, as they have a thick slime coating and are caught as bycatch.
While considered an uncommon fish, the barrelfish is not considered rare. It is listed as species of least concern, as it is difficult to target with any consistency. [1]
Lophius piscatorius, commonly known as the angler, European angler or common monkfish, is a monkfish in the family Lophiidae. It is found in coastal waters of the northeast Atlantic, from the Barents Sea to the Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Within some of its range, including the Irish Sea, this species comprises a significant commercial fishery.
The northern red snapper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, where it inhabits environments associated with reefs. This species is commercially important and is also sought-after as a game fish.
The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.
Lancetfishes are large oceanic predatory fishes in the genus Alepisaurus in the monogeneric family Alepisauridae.
Pelagic fish live in the pelagic zone of ocean or lake waters—being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore—in contrast with demersal fish that live on or near the bottom, and reef fish that are associated with coral reefs.
The yellowtail snapper is an abundant species of snapper native to the western Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Although they have been found as far north as Massachusetts, their normal range is along Florida south to the West Indies and Brazil. This species is mostly found around coral reefs, but may be found in other habitats. They occur at depths of from near the surface to 180 meters (590 ft), though mostly between 10 and 70 m. This species can reach a length of 86.3 cm (34.0 in), though most do not exceed 40 cm (16 in). The greatest weight recorded for this species is 4.98 kg (11.0 lb). Yellowtail snapper is a commercially important species and has been farmed. It is sought as a game fish by recreational anglers and is a popular species for display in public aquaria. This species is the only known member of its genus.
The crocodile shark is a species of mackerel shark and the only extant member of the family Pseudocarchariidae.A specialized inhabitant of the mesopelagic zone, the crocodile shark can be found worldwide in tropical waters from the surface to a depth of 590 m (1,940 ft). It performs a diel vertical migration, staying below a depth of 200 m (660 ft) during the day and ascending into shallower water at night to feed. Typically measuring only 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, the crocodile shark is the smallest living mackerel shark. It can be distinguished by its elongated cigar-shaped body, extremely large eyes, and relatively small fins.
The spinner shark is a type of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, named for the spinning leaps it makes as a part of its feeding strategy. This species occurs in tropical and warm temperate waters worldwide, except for in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is found from coastal to offshore habitats to a depth of 100 m (330 ft), though it prefers shallow water. The spinner shark resembles a larger version of the blacktip shark, with a slender body, long snout, and black-marked fins. This species can be distinguished from the blacktip shark by the first dorsal fin, which has a different shape and is placed further back, and by the black tip on the anal fin. It attains a maximum length of 3 m (9.8 ft).
The whitecheek shark or widemouth blackspot shark is a requiem shark of the family Carcharhinidae, found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean between latitudes 34°N and 25°S. It can reach a length of 1 m. It feeds mainly on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. It is a viviparous species, with the female giving birth to up to four live young.
The night shark is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. An inhabitant of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, this shark most commonly occurs at depths of 50–600 m (160–1,970 ft) and conducts a diel vertical migration, spending the day in deeper water and moving into shallower waters at night. Off northeastern Brazil, large numbers congregate around seamounts of varying depths. A slender, streamlined species, the night shark typically reaches a length of 2 m (6.6 ft). It can be identified by its long, pointed snout and large, green eyes, and is dark grayish blue or brown above and white below.
The Arabian carpetshark is a species of carpet shark in the family Hemiscylliidae, inhabiting coral reefs and other shallow coastal habitats from the Persian Gulf to India. Reaching 78 cm (31 in) long, this shark is characterized by a slender, plain brown body, and by two dorsal fins with straight trailing margins and the second smaller but longer-based than the first. The Arabian carpetshark feeds on bony fishes and invertebrates. Reproduction is oviparous with an annual cycle; females deposit egg capsules four at a time and the young hatch after 70–80 days. This small shark is often captured as bycatch but rarely used by humans. It has been assessed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as there is increasing fishing pressure and habitat degradation within its range. It does well in aquariums and has been bred in captivity.
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 cubera snapper, also known as the Cuban snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean. It is a commercially important species and is a sought-after game fish, though it has been reported to cause ciguatera poisoning.
The bigeye snapper, also known as the bigeye seaperch, red sea lined snapper, golden striped snapper, rosy snapper, yellow snapper, or simply snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is the type species of the genus Lutjanus.
Lutjanus malabaricus, the Malabar blood snapper, saddletail snapper, large-mouthed nannygai, large-mouthed sea-perch, Malabar snapper, nannygai, red bass, red bream, red emperor, red Jew, red snapper, saddletail seaperch, scarlet emperor or scarlet sea-perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, where it is found east to Fiji and Japan.
Lutjanus johnii, John's snapper, the golden snapper,big-scaled bream, fingermark bream, fingerbanger, fingermark seaperch, John's sea-perch, or spotted-scale sea perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The queen snapper, also known as the night snapper or brim snapper, is a species of ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean, and is the only species in the genus Etelis found outside the Indo-Pacific region.
Priacanthus arenatus, the toro or Atlantic bigeye, is a species of marine ray finned fish, a bigeye in the family Priacanthidae. Some anglers refer to this fish as "toro snapper", but it is not a snapper, and only distantly related to the fish of the snapper family. It is found across much of the Atlantic ocean.
Aphareus rutilans, the rusty jobfish, ironjaw snapper, red smalltooth job, silvermouth or small tooth jobfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The silk snapper, the West Indian snapper, yellow-eyed snapper or yellow-eyed red snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.