Platax pinnatus | |
---|---|
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Moroniformes |
Family: | Ephippidae |
Genus: | Platax |
Species: | P. pinnatus |
Binomial name | |
Platax pinnatus | |
Synonyms | |
|
Platax pinnatus, also known as the longfin batfish, pinnate spadefish, pinnate batfish, pinnatus batfish, dusky batfish, shaded batfish, or red-faced batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the western Pacific Ocean and occasionally is kept in marine aquariums.
Platax pinnatus was first formally described as Chaetodon pinnatus in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae with its type locality given as "the Indies". [1] This species is classified within the genus Platax which belongs to the family Ephippidae [2] in the order Moroniformes. [3] The specific name, pinnatus, means "finned" and is an allusion to the very long dorsal and anal fins, particularly in juveniles. [4]
Platax pinnatus adults have a round, strongly compressed body which has a depth of twice the length of the head. Larger adults, with a standard length in excess of 35 cm (14 in) have a protruding snout and a concave dorsal profile of the head. Both jaws have bands of thin, flattened, tricuspid teeth with the central cusp being around two times as long as the lateral cusps. There are vomerine teeth but no palatine teeth. The dorsal fin is supported by 5 or 6 spines and between 34 and 37 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 24 to 28 soft rays. [5] The overall colour is silvery with a dusky or dark vertical bar running through the eye and a second similar bar running through the base of the pectoral fin. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are yellow. [6] The juveniles are mainly black with the body and median fins outlined in orange and the dorsal and anal fins are greatly elongated. [7] This species reaches a maximum published total length of 45 cm (18 in). [5]
Platax pinnatus is found in the Indo-West Pacific although FishBase notes that records from the Indian Ocean, other than Australia, are subject to some doubt. The confirmed range is in the western Pacific from the Ryukyu Islands south to Australia. [5] In Australia, it has been recorded from off the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical northern coasts and south along the east coast to the central coast of New South Wales. [7] The adults are found under the overhangs of steep outer reef slopes down to depths greater than 20 m (66 ft). The juveniles are found among mangroves or sheltering in caves and under ledges in inner protected reefs. [5]
Platax pinnatus adults are normally solitary but will gather in large schools to move over open substrates. [5] The juveniles are mimics of a toxic species of flatworm by colour and shape. [6] They feed on algae as well as jellyfish and other gelatinous zooplankton. [5] This species has been observed to significantly reduce algal growths on coral in studies simulating the effects of overfishing on the Great Barrier Reef. [8]
Platax pinnatus is kept in aquaria but is difficult to maintain. [9] These fishes are caught by fishers using hook and line, palisade traps, spears, trawls, and hand nets, the flesh is palatable, but not valued. [10]
The orbicular batfish, also known as the cooper batfish, circular batfish, orbiculate batfish, round batfish, narrow-banded batfish or orbic batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific but has been recorded outside its native range in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Ephippidae is a family of percomorph fishes, the spadefishes, in the order Moroniformes. These fishes are found in the tropical and temperate oceans of the world, except for the central Pacific.
The Pacific staghorn sculpin is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Lepidocottus.
Macolor is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, snappers belonging to the family Lutjanidae. They are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
The sailfin tang, the Pacific sailfin tang, purple sailfinned tang or sailfin surgeonfish, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae which includes the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Pacific Ocean and is popular in the aquarium hobby.
Pomacanthus semicirculatus, also known as the semicircled angelfish, Koran angelfish, blue angelfish, zebra angelfish or half-circled angelfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish, in the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
Platax teira, also known as the teira batfish, longfin batfish, longfin spadefish, or round faced batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific.
Plectorhinchus albovittatus, the two-striped sweetlips or giant sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, part of the grunt family Haemulidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
Acanthurus nigricans, the goldrim surgeonfish, velvet surgeon, whitecheek surgeonfish, yellow-banded surgeonfish or yellowrimmed surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found from the central Indo-Pacific area to the eastern Pacific coast, Hawaii included.
Acanthurus maculiceps, the white-freckled surgeonfish, yellow-freckled surgeonfish, pale-lined surgeonfish,spotted-faced surgeonfish or earbar surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Platax is a genus of Indo-Pacific, reef-associated fish belonging to the family Ephippidae. There are currently five known extant species generally accepted to belong to the genus. They are one of the fish taxa commonly known as "batfish".
Naso fageni, the horseface unicornfish or blunt unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This fish is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The squarenose unicornfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Naso tuberosus, the humpnose unicornfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Acanthuridae, the surgeonfishes, unicornfishes and tangs. This species occurs in the Indian Ocean but it may be more widespread.
Proteracanthus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. The only species in the genus is Proeracanthus sarissophorus which occurs in coral reefs around Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra. This species is also known as the harpoon spadefish, or in Malaysia as drummer, knightfish, rudderfish or sea chub. This species grows to a length of 32.5 centimetres (12.8 in) SL.
The lunar fusilier, also known as the blue fusilier or moon fusilier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific area.
Platax batavianus, the humpback batfish, Batavian batfish, batfish, humped batfish, hump-headed hatfish, moonfish or zebra batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. They are found in coral reefs around the Indo-Pacific region. Adults can grow up to 65 centimetres (26 in) at maximum.
Lutjanus lemniscatus, the yellowstreaked snapper, darktail snapper, darktail seaperch or maroon sea-perch is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Lutjanus johnii, John's snapper, the golden snapper,big-scaled bream, fingermark bream, fingermark seaperch, John's sea-perch, or spotted-scale sea perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Platax boersii, the golden spadefish or Boers’ batfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and bay fishes. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific.