Holocentrus rufus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Holocentriformes |
Family: | Holocentridae |
Genus: | Holocentrus |
Species: | H. rufus |
Binomial name | |
Holocentrus rufus (Walbaum, 1792) | |
The longspine squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus) is a silvery red, sea fish with orange-gold body stripes. One of about 150 species of squirrelfish, their most distinguishing characteristics are their large eyes and the long third spine of the anal fin. It is often included in public aquarium displays. The length of the longspine squirrelfish is about 18 cm (7.8 inches). It lives in coral reefs in tropical and warm temperate seas and eats zoobenthos. It is territorial and uses sounds called "grunts" and "staccatos" to defend its crevice, warn of danger and, in groups, intimidate predators such as the moray eel. The longspine squirrelfish is edible and harvested on a small scale.
The body of the longspine squirrelfish is silvery red, with orange-gold body stripes. Its eyes are very large, which is characteristic of all squirrelfish. The rear dorsal fin is pronounced and sticks up. The anal fin has a strongly elongated third spine, from which this squirrelfish gets its name. [2]
There are about 150 species of squirrelfish. Squirrelfish, belonging to the order of Beryciformes, are brightly colored, medium-sized fish that are active during the night. Squirrelfish live in rocky or coral reefs in tropical and warm-temperate seas. Their most distinguishing characteristics are their large eyes. To identify the longspine squirrelfish, in addition to recognizing the long third spine of the anal fin, it can be useful to pay attention to the specific anatomy of other fins: [3]
Feature | Number |
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Dorsal spines | 11 |
Dorsal soft rays | 14-16 |
Anal spines | 4 |
Anal soft rays | 9-11 |
Longspine squirrelfish are marine fish that live in coral reefs. The length of the longspine squirrelfish is up to 18 cm (7.8 inches). They are found along the south eastern coast of the United States to Northern South America and Brazil, as well as in-between locations such as Bermuda and the West Indies. [4] They hide in or near dark recesses. They are territorial and defend their crevices with visual and acoustic displays. They are rare on shallow reefs. They are more abundant with increasing depth and are most abundant between thirty and seventy meters.
The juveniles are thin, silvery pelagics and seldom seen.
Most of the food longspine squirrelfish eat is zoobenthos, including crustaceans, mollusks, and gastropods. [5] It tends to guard its territory during the day and feed more actively at night.
Vocalization has been described in 30 families of fishes. Aggressive sounds tend to be middle-frequency (about one kHz). Distressed sounds can be a bit higher frequency (about 6 kHz). [6] Longspine squirrelfish make two kinds of sounds, a single "grunt" and a short burst of sounds called a "staccato." The grunt sounds are used mostly to defend their territory. The staccato sound indicates alarm. Other longspine squirrelfish hearing the staccato sound will first retreat into their crevices, then come out to investigate the threat. Sometimes several of them make staccato sounds to scare away predators like the moray eel. This behavior is called "mobbing." [7] Researchers have observed that the longspine squirrelfish makes sounds more frequently at dusk.
Squirrelfish in general are of low commercial importance, but they are frequently taken on a small scale off of Brazil and Venezuela with traps, handlines, and gillnets. They show resilience through the ability to survive for days within traps and to survive in highly polluted waters. They are sometimes marketed fresh. They are commonly displayed in public aquarium facilities due to their beautiful red coloration and distinctively large eyes. [8]
In a 1980 study, longspine squirrelfish were determined to be quite edible among 16 different species of finfish obtainable off of the South Carolina coast of the United States. [9] A taste panel of thirteen individuals gave it high marks for firmness, average marks for flavor, and lower marks for flakiness compared with other species sampled. It was judged to be most similar to the short bigeye and the (much larger) red drum.
Aulostomus maculatus, the trumpetfish which is also known as the West Atlantic trumpetfish, is a long-bodied fish with an upturned mouth; it often swims vertically while trying to blend with vertical coral, such as sea rods, sea pens, and pipe sponges.
Holocentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only family of the order Holocentriformes. The members of the subfamily Holocentrinae are typically known as squirrelfish, while the members of Myripristinae typically are known as soldierfish. In Hawaii, they are known by the Japanese name mempachi/menpachi (メンパチ) or the Hawaiian ʻūʻū.
The banded butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. Common names include the banded butterflyfish, the butterbun, the butterflyfish, the Portuguese butterfly, the school mistress and the banded mariposa.
The reef butterflyfish. also known as the least butterflyfish, Atlantic butterflyfish, butterbun or school mistress, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The Caesar grunt, also known as the black grunt, blacktail grunt, or redmouth grunt is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt in the family Haemulidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean
Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, commonly called blue-and-yellow 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 associated with reefs in the Indian Ocean.
Cantherhines dumerilii is a species of fish in the family Monacanthidae, the filefishes. Its common names include whitespotted filefish, barred filefish, orange-fin file, and yelloweye leatherjacket. It is distributed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans where it is found on coral reefs.
The Pluma porgy is an ocean-going fish of the family Sparidae. In many parts of the Caribbean, it is simply known as the Pluma, while in Jamaica can be called the Pimento grunt, and is sometimes called the West Indian porgy in the United States. The Pluma porgy was described by Alphone Guichenot, a French zoologist who taught, researched, and participated in specimen collecting trips on behalf of the National Natural History Museum in Paris, in 1869.
The bluestriped grunt, also known as the boar grunt, golden grunt, humpback grunt, redmouth grunt, or yellow grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Starksia atlantica, the smooth-eye blenny, is a species of labrisomid blenny native to the western central Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea where it inhabits coral reefs at depths of around 8 metres (26 ft).
Sargocentron spiniferum, common name sabre squirrelfish, giant squirrelfish and spiny squirrelfish, is a large Indo-Pacific species of squirrelfish belonging to the family Holocentridae.
Myripristis botche, the blacktip soldierfish, splendid soldierfish, or splendid squirrelfish, is a species of soldierfish belonging to the family Holocentridae.
Haemulon is a genus of fish in the grunt family known as the scaled-fin grunts. Most are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, with a few species known from the eastern Pacific Ocean. This genus is considered to be one of the most important fish groups of the coral reefs of Brazil due to its commercial value and crucial ecological role.
The burrito grunt is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is native to the tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean area.
Haemulon chrysargyreum, the smallmouth grunt, bronze grunt, or yellowstripe grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Haemulon scudderii, the grey grunt, golden-eye grunt, or mojarra grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Pomadasys kaakan, the javelin grunter or barred javelin is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from Africa to Australia.
Plectorhinchus gibbosus, commonly known as the Harry hotlips, black sweetlips, brown sweetlips, dusky sweetlips, gibbous sweetlips, hairy hotlips or humpback sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Epinephelus maculatus, the highfin grouper, blackfin cod or brown-spotted rock-cod, marbled rock-cod or spotted 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 Indo-Pacific region.
Pomadasys macracanthus, the longspined grunt or Mexican gray perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is native to the Eastern Pacific from Mexico to Ecuador.