Oplopomus

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Oplopomus
Oplopomus oplopomus (Valenciennes 1837).jpg
Spinecheek goby (O. oplopomus)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Gobiidae
Genus: Oplopomus
Valenciennes, 1837
Type species
Gobius oplopomus
Valenciennes, 1837
Synonyms

Oplopomus is a genus of gobies found in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. It contains two species.

Contents

Description

Oplopomus is characterized by elongated bodies and compressed heads. They possess 24 to 30 ctenoid scales on the body, becoming cycloid on the nape before disappearing just behind the eyes. Their snouts are short and round, smaller than the diameter of the eyes. The lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw, with a pair of canine teeth on each side. The dorsal fins are separated with six rays on the first. The ventral fins are joined by a bridge of skin (a frenum). The caudal fins are round. [1] They can grow to a maximum length of 10 cm (3.9 in). [2]

They superficially resemble members of the genus Acentrogobius , but Oplopomus can be distinguished by having the first rays of both dorsal fins ending in a sharp point (pungent). [1]

Taxonomy

The genus Oplomopus was first used by the German zoologist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg for Oplopomus pulcher (a synonym of Oplopomus oplopomus , first described by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes in 1837). It was made available through subsequent usage by the Austrian zoologist Franz Steindachner in 1860. [1] [3] [4] It has been classified under the subfamily Gobiinae of the goby family, Gobiidae, [2] [5] although the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise any subfamilies in Gobiidae. [6]

Species and distribution

Oplopomus can be found from the Red Sea to the Pacific Ocean. [2] They inhabit coral reefs, in depths of 1 to 30 m (3.3 to 98.4 ft) beneath the surface. There are currently two recognized species in this genus: [7]

Related Research Articles

Gobiidae Family of fishes

Gobiidae is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera, sometimes referred to as the "true gobies". Most of them are relatively small, typically less than 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The Gobiidae includes some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as Trimmatom nanus and Pandaka pygmaea, Trimmatom nanus are under 1 cm long when fully grown, then Pandaka pygmaea standard length are 9mm (0.35 in),maximum known standard length are 11 mm (0.43 in). Some large gobies can reach over 30 cm (0.98 ft) in length, but that is exceptional. Generally, they are benthic, or bottom-dwellers. Although few are important as food for humans, they are of great significance as prey species for commercially important fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass, and flatfish. Several gobiids are also of interest as aquarium fish, such as the dartfish of the genus Ptereleotris. Phylogenetic relationships of gobiids have been studied using molecular data.

Comet grouper Species of fish

The comet grouper, also known as the comet cod or dot-dash 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 a species of deep coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Mycteroperca</i> Genus of fishes

Mycteroperca is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found in tropical and subtropical seas in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. They are important target species for fisheries.

Honeycomb grouper Species of fish

The honeycomb grouper, also known as black-spotted rock-cod, common birdwire rockcod, dwarf spotted rockcod, dwarf-spotted grouper, honeycomb cod, wire-netted reefcod or wire-netting cod, 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 has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution where it is found in coastal and offshore reefs in shallow waters.

Blue-spotted spinefoot Species of fish

The blue-spotted spinefoot, the coral rabbitfish, coral spinefoot, ocellated spinefoot or orange spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific where it is often caught as a food fish and occasionally as an aquarium fish.

Longfin grouper Species of fish

The longfin grouper, also known as the longfin rockcod, bar-breasted rock-cod, Gilbert's rock-cod, honeycomb rockcod, spotted groper or wirenet cod, 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 Western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Priolepis semidoliata</i> Species of fish

Priolepis semidoliata, the half-barred goby, is a species of goby native to the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Oplopomus oplopomus</i> Species of fish

Oplopomus oplopomus, commonly known as the spinecheek goby, is a species of goby native to the Indo-Pacific region. They can grow to a maximum length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in). They inhabit coral reefs.

<i>Rhinogobiops</i> Genus of fishes

Rhinogobiops nicholsii, the blackeye goby, is a species of true goby in the family Gobiidae. It is the sole species classified under the genus Rhinogobiops. They are common inhabitants of coral reefs and rocky habitats along the Eastern Pacific Ocean coasts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada, although they are hardly noticed, as they often rest motionless near their shelters. Other common names for the species include bluespot goby and crested goby.

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.

<i>Bryaninops yongei</i> Species of fish

Bryaninops yongei, the wire-coral goby or whip coral goby, is a benthic species of goby widely distributed from the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean to the islands in the center of the Pacific Ocean.

<i>Valenciennea helsdingenii</i> Species of fish

Valenciennea helsdingenii is a species of goby from the Indo-Pacific. It is commonly known as the twostripe goby, black-lined sleeper goby, or railway sleeper goby. It can grow up to a length of 25 cm (9.8 in) and is distinguishable by two prominent orange to black lines running longitudinally through its body.

<i>Trimma nasa</i> Species of fish

Trimma nasa, commonly called the nasal dwarfgoby or nasal pygmy goby, is a species of goby from the Western Pacific. They are small fish, averaging at around 2 cm (0.79 in) in length. They are bright orange and transparent yellow in life, with a white stripe running down from between the eyes to the upper lip and a dark brown spot at the base of the tail fin. They are usually found in large schools in the sloping or vertical drop-offs at coral reef edges.

Trimma tevegae, commonly known as the bluestripe pygmygoby or blue-striped cave goby among other names, is a species of goby from the western Pacific. They are small fish, averaging at 2 cm (0.79 in), orange-brown with white undersides in life, with characteristic iridescent blue or lavender stripes on the sides and on top of the body. They are usually found in large schools in the sloping or vertical drop-offs at coral reef edges. They are sometimes caught for the aquarium trade, and are also known by hobbyists under the name blue line flagtail goby. The species is named in honor of the schooner Te Vega.

<i>Epinephelus corallicola</i> Species of fish

Epinephelus corallicola, also known as the black-dotted cod, coral cod, coral rockcod or duskyfin 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 has an Indo-Pacific distribution and is found in marine and brackish waters.

<i>Siganus virgatus</i> Species of fish

Siganus virgatus, the barhead spinefoot, doublebar rabbitfish or doublebar spinefoot is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Eviota guttata</i> Species of fish

Eviota guttata, the spotted dwarfgoby, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Gobiidae, the "true gobies". It is found in the western Indian Ocean.

Oxyurichthys petersii, commonly known as Peters' goby, is a species of ray-finned fish, a goby, from the family Oxudercidae. It is native to the Red Sea, and has now colonised the eastern Mediterranean Sea by Lessepsian migration through the Suez Canal.

<i>Eviota sebreei</i> Species of fish

Eviota sebreei, common name Sebree's pygmy goby or striped dwarfgoby, is a species of fishes belonging to the family Gobiidae.

<i>Cephalopholis sonnerati</i> Species of fish

Cephalopholis sonnerati, known as the tomato hind, tomato rockcod, or tomato cod, 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 distributed on coral reefs in the tropical Indo-Pacific. It is also sometimes called the orange-spotted cod, red coral cod, red rockcod, tomato grouper, or tomato seabass.

References

  1. 1 2 3 E.J. Brill (1953). The Fishes of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Brill Archive. pp. 29–30.
  2. 1 2 3 "Genus: Oplopomus". FishBase. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  3. Catalog of Fishes (2007). "Oplopomus Valenciennes". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  4. David Jordan (1963). The Genera of Fishes and a Classification of Fishes . Stanford University Press. p.  299. ISBN   978-0-8047-0201-0. Oplopomus genus.
  5. WoRMS (2010). "Oplopomus Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  6. J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. p. 752. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6.
  7. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). Species of Oplomopus in FishBase . June 2013 version.