Pickhandle barracuda | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Carangiformes |
Family: | Sphyraenidae |
Genus: | Sphyraena |
Species: | S. jello |
Binomial name | |
Sphyraena jello Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1829 | |
The pickhandle barracuda (Sphyraena jello) is a species of barracuda found throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Its common name derives from the dark marks along its sides, which look like the thick ends of pickaxe handles. [1] Sea anglers sometimes colloquially shorten the name to "pick". [2] Other common names for the species include banded barracuda, yellowtail barracuda, and sea pike. [3]
The silver body of the pickhandle barracuda is outlined with approximately 20 wavy bars along the body of the fish, along with the dark marks. These dark markings fade under preservation. The tail fin is yellow in colour. [4] Like many other barracuda, the jaws have an underbite. [4]
It has been shown that Sphyraena jello feeds after releasing its gonads to spawn. [5] [3] This release creates space for the stomach to magnify its capacity for appropriate feeding. [3] Sphyraena jello spawns in the Persian Gulf in October and November. [5]
The pickhandle barracuda can be found in many locations throughout the Pacific Ocean. [4] They can usually be found in schools swimming in the tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean, particularly around coral reefs. [2] However, during the night the pickhandle barracuda begin to hunt. [2] These fish can be found at many depths ranging from 2–200 meters. [2]
Mycteroperca bonaci, the black grouper, black rockfish or marbled rockfish, 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. Other fish are sometimes called the black grouper including the similar gag grouper, the misty grouper, and the warsaw grouper. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the northeastern United States to Brazil.
A barracuda is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus Sphyraena, the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which was named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1815. It is found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide ranging from the eastern border of the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, on its western border the Caribbean Sea, and in tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean. Barracudas reside near the top of the water and near coral reefs and sea grasses. Barracudas are targeted by sport-fishing enthusiasts.
The giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), also known as the Queensland groper (grouper), brindle grouper or mottled-brown sea bass, 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 and is one of the largest extant species of bony fish.
The Australian barracuda, arrow barracuda, Australian sea pike, sea pike, snook, or shortfin barracuda, Sphyraena novaehollandiae, is a barracuda of the genus Sphyraena which occurs in the south-western Pacific Ocean.
The royal angelfish, or regal angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae, and the monotypic genus Pygoplites. It is found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceans. It can grow as long as 25 cm (9.8 in).
The yellowtail barracuda is one of the smaller species of barracuda of the family Sphyraenidae, which can be found in Indo-West Pacific oceans. It has also invaded the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea, making it one of the Lessepsian migrants.
The slippery dick is a species of wrasse native to shallow, tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Chromis viridis is a species of damselfish. Individuals tend to be iridescent apple-green and light blue, and reach a maximal length of 10 cm.
The brown-marbled grouper or tiger grouper is a benthic marine fish which belongs to the family Serranidae or also known as the groupers.
The narrow-barred Spanish mackerel is a mackerel of the family Scombridae found in a wide-ranging area in Southeast Asia, but as far west as the east coast of Africa and from the Middle East and along the northern coastal areas of the Indian Ocean, and as far east as the South West Pacific Ocean.
Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as colourful and interesting to watch. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specialisations adapted to survival on the reefs.
Coastal fish, also called inshore fish or neritic fish, inhabit the sea between the shoreline and the edge of the continental shelf. Since the continental shelf is usually less than 200 metres (660 ft) deep, it follows that pelagic coastal fish are generally epipelagic fish, inhabiting the sunlit epipelagic zone. Coastal fish can be contrasted with oceanic fish or offshore fish, which inhabit the deep seas beyond the continental shelves.
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.
Sphyraena argentea is a predatory species of marine barracuda fish of the family Sphyraenidae. They are found in the northeast Pacific Ocean, from Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur north to Washington State. However, they are not common north of Point Conception in Santa Barbara County, California, usually preferring warmer waters. They can reach a length of about 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) and a weight of about 6.8 kilograms (15 lb). This species of barracuda is a very popular sport fish in Southern California.
The blackfin barracuda, also known as the chevron barracuda, is known for its aggressive, predatory personality.
Calotomus carolinus, commonly known as Carolines parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is also known as the starry-eye parrotfish, stareye parrotfish, bucktooth parrotfish, Christmas parrotfish or marbled parrotfish. Since the Calotomus carolinus is known across the Pacific, it also has its own name in many native languages for example, it is called a panuhunuhunu in the Hawaiian language.
Sphyraena helleri, the Heller's barracuda, is a schooling species of barracuda in the family Sphyraenidae.
Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the yellowstripe barracuda, is a species of predatory, ray finned fish from the family Sphyraenidae which is found in the Indo-West Pacific region. It has entered the Mediterranean Sea from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal as a Lessepesian migrant and is now an important species in the fisheries of the eastern Mediterranean.
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.
Sphyraena putnamae, the sawtooth, chevron or military barracuda, is a species of barracuda found in all tropical seas and temperate waters of major oceans with the exception of the eastern pacific. It is found near shores in bays, turbid lagoons, and some reefs. A recognizable feature is the many dark chevron-shaped markings along its side, and its forked caudal fin. It spends its time in the shallow part of the sea off the coast, and stays closers to the surface levels of the open ocean. It can reach an age of 14 years old, and grow up to six feet long and over 100 pounds.