| Mexican goatfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Montijo, Panama | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Mullidae |
| Genus: | Mulloidichthys |
| Species: | M. dentatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Mulloidichthys dentatus (Gill, 1862) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Mulloidichthys dentatus, the Mexican goatfish, is a species of goatfish native to the Pacific Ocean.
M. dentatus was described in 1862 by Theodore Gill. The prefix "mulloid" in its genus name comes from the Latin mullus, meaning "soft," while "ichthys" is Greek for fish. [2] Meanwhile, the specific epithet "dentatus" is word derived from the Latin, meaning "having teeth."
M. dentatus has a small mouth, which can be protruded. Its villiform teeth are also small, and it does not have teeth on the roof of its mouth. The snout is dull and its chin contains two sizeable barbels. Between its dorsal fins, it has six rows of scales. It is yellow throughout, except for its two blue stripes which run horizontally. Its maximum size is 40 cm (16 in). [3]
It is similar to Mulloidichthys vanicolensis , but M. dentatus has shorter pectoral fins and barbels, and lesser gill rakers and pectoral fin rays. [3]
M. dentatus is found in the Central-Eastern Pacific Ocean, from southern California to Peru. Its range includes the Galápagos Islands and is rare north of the Baja California peninsula. It is found at depths between 2–110 m (6.6–360.9 ft). [1] [3]
It mainly sticks to the coast and coral reefs, living in the sandy, muddy, and rocky bottoms near the shore. Despite this, its young are more fond of the open ocean. It can be found solitary, although it prefers to be in small schools. At night it can change its color to have red patches. [2]
M. dentatus was evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in May 2007, which placed it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. [1]
The goatfishes are perciform fish of the family Mullidae. The family is also sometimes referred to as the red mullets, which also refers more narrowly to the genus Mullus.
Upeneichthys lineatus, also known as the blue-striped mullet, blue-lined goatfish. blue-striped goatfish, blue-spotted goatfish and blue striped red mullet, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a goatfish from the family Mullidae. It is native to the Pacific coast of Australia. It occurs in sheltered areas over rocky and sandy substrates and can be found 5 to 100 metres, though rarer below 40 metres (130 ft). This species can reach a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) FL. This species is commercially important.
The sand devil or Atlantic angel shark is a species of angelshark, family Squatinidae, native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It occurs off the eastern United States, in the northern Gulf of Mexico, and possibly in parts of the Caribbean Sea. This bottom-dwelling shark is found in shallow inshore waters in summer and fall, and deep offshore waters in winter and spring. The sand devil's flattened body and enlarged pectoral and pelvic fins give it a ray-like appearance. There is a band of enlarged thorns running along the middle of its back. It is gray or brown in color, with scattered small dark spots. This species reaches 1.2–1.5 m (3.9–4.9 ft) in length.
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 common bluestripe snapper, bluestripe snapper, bluebanded snapper, bluestripe sea perch, fourline snapper, blue-line snapper or moonlighter, is a species of snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean from the coast of Africa and the Red Sea to the central Pacific Ocean. It is commercially important and sought as a game fish. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The vermilion snapper, the clubhead snapper, night snapper, Brian’s red fish or beeliner is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Atlantic Ocean.
The yellow goatfish, also known as yellowsaddle, is a species of goatfish native to the Atlantic Ocean around the coasts of Africa and the Americas. This species can reach a total length of 39.4 cm (15.5 in), but most reach lengths only around 28 cm (11 in). They are of minor importance to local commercial fisheries, though they have been reported to carry the ciguatera toxin.
The giant hawkfish, also known as the hieroglyphic hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is a marine fish and the largest of the hawkfish family with maximum size of 60 cm (24 in) in total length. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
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.
Mulloidichthys is a genus of fish in the family Mullidae native to coral and rocky reefs of the tropical Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.
Trypauchen vagina, commonly known as the burrowing goby, is a species of eel goby found in the Indo-Pacific region. It has an elongated body about 20 to 22 cm in length. It is reddish-pink in color and possesses distinctive pouches in the upper edges of its gill covers. It lives in burrows in the silty and muddy bottoms of its marine and brackish habitats. It has reduced eyes that are entirely covered with skin and the anterior portion of its head is protected by thick flesh. Both adaptations aid it in digging its burrows.
The yellowfin goatfish is a species of goatfish native to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
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.
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.
Pacific spotted scorpionfish, or the stone scorpionfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the largest species in the genus Scorpaena and, like the other species in that genus, it is protected by venomous spines.
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.
Upeneus moluccensis, the goldband goatfish, golden-banded goatfish or Moluccan goatfish, is a species of Indo-Pacific goatfish from the red mullet and goatfish family, the Mullidae. It is widespread in the warmer waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans as far east as New Caledonia and has colonised the eastern Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal, making it a Lessepsian migrant.
The yellowstripe goatfish is a species of goatfish native to the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The fish is known as Weke 'a'a in Hawaiian.
The Pacific bearded brotula also known as the pink bearded cusk-eel or the red bearded cusk-eel is a species of cusk eel found in the Pacific Ocean. It is described as being reddish-brown with dark fins.
