| Parapercis maculata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Trachiniformes |
| Family: | Pinguipedidae |
| Genus: | Parapercis |
| Species: | P. maculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Parapercis maculata (Cuvier, 1829) [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Parapercis maculata, the harlequin sandperch, is a species of marine bony fish in the family Pinguipedidae, found in shallow waters in the tropical western Indo-Pacific Ocean.
The harlequin sandperch grows to a maximum length of 20 cm (8 in). It is cylindrical at the front but somewhat compressed at the back. The head is large with an oblique mouth and the eyes set near the top. There is a spine on the operculum. The dorsal fin has five spines and twenty-one (occasionally twenty-two) soft rays. The fourth spine is the longest. The anal fin has a single spine and eighteen or nineteen soft rays. The general colour is pale reddish or greyish brown, shading to white on the underparts. There are large irregular reddish-brown blotches on the back, with six distinctive reddish-brown, squarish blotches below the lateral line. The dorsal fin has rows of small orange spots on the soft rays, and the anal fin has rows of white spots. The caudal fin is slightly rounded, the second to fourth rays are a little longer than the others, and the lowest quarter is reddish brown. [2]
The harlequin sandperch is native to shallow water in the western Indo-Pacific. Its range includes Zanzibar, India and Sri Lanka. [2] Previously its range extended further east to include Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, but the morphology of the fish in that region was slightly different and they are now recognised as a separate species, Parapercis pulchella . [3] It is found at depths down to about 25 m (82 ft) on sandy bottoms in sheltered bays and estuaries. [4]
The harlequin sandperch is often to be seen resting on the seabed, propped up on its pelvic fins. Like many other members of its genus, it is thought to be a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting adult life as a female and later becoming a male. [2]
The smooth 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 and is found in the western Indian Ocean.
The Marquesan 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 endemic to French Polynesia. Its natural habitats are open seas, shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, and coral reefs.
The cleftbelly trevally, also known as the cleftbelly kingfish, Kuweh trevally or thin crevalle, is a species of tropical marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species inhabits coastal waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific region from South Africa in the west to Japan in the east, often found near the water's surface. The cleftbelly trevally is the only member of the genus Atropus and is distinguished by a number of anatomical characteristics, with a deep median groove in the belly giving the species its common name. It is not a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 26.5 cm. Cleftbelly trevally are predatory fish, taking a variety of small crustaceans and fish. The species is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range.
Acanthurus olivaceus, also known as the orange-band surgeonfish, the orange-shoulder surgeonfish or the orangebar tang, is a member of the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes. It lives in the tropical waters of the Indo-west Pacific.
Members of the family Narkidae are commonly known as sleeper rays. They are restricted to the temperate and tropical Indo-West Pacific from South Africa to Japan to Indonesia, and are exclusively marine and are absent from freshwater habitats. They occur from the intertidal zone to the continental shelf and the upper continental slope to a depth of 350 meters, favoring soft-bottomed habitats.
Cephalopholis spiloparaea, known commonly as the strawberry hindstrawberry rock cod, strawberry cod or orange rock 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. This fish occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
The black-sided hawkfish, freckled hawkfish or Forster's hawkfish, is a species of hawkfish from the Indo-Pacific. It is occasionally found in the aquarium trade and is also of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. It grows to a total length of 22 cm (9 in).
Scorpaena papillosa, common name red rock cod is a venomous species of marine fish in the family Scorpaenidae, the "scorpionfish".
Kuhlia mugil, the barred flagtail, the fiveband flagtail or the five-bar flagtail, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a flagtail belonging to the family Kuhliidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region
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.
Menticirrhus saxatilis, the northern kingfish or northern kingcroaker, is a species of marine fish in the family Sciaenidae. It lives in the shallow coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
Epinephelus erythrurus, the cloudy grouper, also known as the cloudy rock 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 marine and brackish waters in the Indo-Pacific region.
Parapercis hexophtalma, the speckled sandperch, is a species of marine bony fish in the family Pinguipedidae, found in the western Indo-Pacific Ocean. It was first described by the French naturalist Georges Cuvier in 1829. There are several synonyms, some of which represent misspellings of the original name, and others which were given to female fish, at the time thought to be a separate species.
Trichonotus arabicus, the Arabian sand diver, is a shallow-water, marine perciform fish in the family Trichonotidae. It is native to the western Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Parapercis schauinslandii, commonly known as redspotted sandperch, lyretail grubfish or flagfin weever, is a species of marine fish native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is a member of the sandperch family Pinguipedidae, form the percomorph order Trachiniformes.
Thryssa mystax, the moustached thryssa or Gangetic anchovy, is a species of oceanodromous ray-finned fish in the family Engraulidae. It is found in the tropical western Indo-Pacific region from India, Sri Lanka to Myanmar and south to Java, and Indonesia.
Arothron reticularis, variously known as the reticulated pufferfish, reticulated blowfish or reticulated toadfish, is a ray-finned fish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to the tropical and sub-tropical Indo-Pacific region where its habitats include sandy and muddy seabeds, coral reefs, estuaries and mangrove areas.
Parapercis alboguttata, the bluenose grubfish, known also as the bluenose sandperch and whitespot sandsmelt, is a species of marine bony fish in the family Pinguipedidae, native to the western Indo-Pacific Ocean. It was first described by the German-born, British ichthyologist and zoologist, Albert Günther, in 1872.
Scorpaenopsis barbata, common name bearded scorpionfish, is a species of scorpionfish belonging to the family Scorpaenidae.
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.