Popeye catalufa

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Popeye catalufa
Pristigenys serrula 01.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Priacanthidae
Genus: Pristigenys
Species:
P. serrula
Binomial name
Pristigenys serrula
(Gilbert, 1891)
Synonyms [2]
  • Priacanthus serrulaGilbert, 1891
  • Pseudopriacanthus serrula(Gilbert, 1891)
  • Pseudopriacanthus lucasanus Clark, 1936

The popeye catalufa (Pristigenys serrula), also known as the bigeye soldierfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Priacanthidae, the bigeyes. [2] This fish has an overall dusky orange to red colour with white markings. The dorsal fin appears feathery while rest of fins have black margins. [3] It occurs in the eastern Pacific, where it is found from Oregon to Chile. [1] It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. [3] It grows to a size of 34 centimetres (13 in) in length. This species is nocturnal and shy , preferring deeper waters off islands. It has been recorded associating with squirrelfishes and cardinalfishes but the popeye catalufa goes as deep as 76 metres (249 ft), deeper than its associated species. This species has been recorded from rocky habitats at depths of less than 5 metres (16 ft) to over 100 metres (330 ft). [2] It is a carnivorous species and, when kept in captivity, is known to feed on worms, crustaceans and brittle stars. [3]

Contents

Geographic range

Pristigenys serrula is found as an unfragmented population all the way from Oregon to Chile, and even the Galápagos Islands and Panama. Oregon sightings are the extremities of the range and most of the population density is along the coast of California and Central America. These fishes extend into temperate regions in association with warm ocean currents although there has not been observations of this family in other typical temperate species.  Locations such as New Zealand or the Mediterranean Sea which are typical of the fishes that follow these currents. [4]

Habitat

The family of Pristigenys are an epibenthic group that are found in rocky or coral environments around depths from 5 to 400 m and have been observed in some caves within its geographic range. This is only true of the adults of this family, as the eggs, larvae, and juvenile stages are found in open water and stay near the middle of the water column until they mature. [4]

Physical Description

The P. serulla have been observed to grow to 34 cm, but most often are around 20 cm. The body of the fish is compressiform, deep and robust, with large eyes that are around a third of the length of the head. The species has an upward projecting mouth. The most noticeable trait that gets this fish aquarium attention is its bright red iris, body, and darkly detailed tail and fins. [5] The P. serrula’s preopercular and preorbital margins serrate. The gill rakers present are short with 16 rakers on the horizontal limb of the outer arch. [6]

The dorsal fin has 10–11 rays, and pectoral rays numbering from 17–18. [7] The dorsal fin is continuous for this species along with the anal fin containing 10 to 11 soft rays. This species also has very small ctenoid scales and lateral line scales 42 to 51. [5] There is a tall, dorsal spine with the first and last spines being much shorter and equaling the rays in length. The spines on the anal fin are similar but much shorter.  The pectoral fins are the smallest fins and barely reach the pelvic fins. The pelvic fins are elongated and about the same length as the anal fin. Pelvic fins spines are long enough to reach the base of the second anal spine. Some unique textures of the respective fins are that the dorsal and anal fins are covered in a sheath and also that the vertical fins are dusky with the soft parts being slightly speckled. The ventricles are black and the pectorals pale. All spines of the fish roughly serrate. The species’s gular, maxillary, mandible, and branchiostegal membranes are coated with spiny scales. The colors of P. serulla are of light olive tones, striped with four laterally darkened striations which are wider than the between spaces. The last striation is located on the base of the caudal peduncle. [6] The caudal peduncle of this species is remarkably longer than others in this family. [7]

Development

The eggs, larvae and early juvenile stages of the priacanthid species are pelagic, remaining only in the middle of the water column while they mature. Once they have sufficiently grown and found a habitat to settle in, they transform into fully matured crevice and reef dwelling epibenthic fishes. [4] The development of this fish involves 4 different stages: the larval stage, the preflexion stage, the postflextion stage, and the fully developed adult form transformation. In the preflexion stage the pigmentation starts to appear on the top of the head and underneath the mouth. In the time from flexion to post-flexion the pigmentation has spread to the lower part of the supraoccipital spine, increased on the head, increased on the gut, and begun to make its way to the caudal fin. By the transformation stage the fish is fully pigmented except on its caudal tail. [8]

Reproduction - General Behavior and Parental Investment

Reproduction of some Pristigengys and Priacanthus species show the eggs being small, spherical, and planktonic from which small larvae hatch with a yolk sac, unpigmented eyes, and undeveloped mouth. These fishes let groups of their eggs out into the open water for scattering and don’t show parental care for their eggs. The spawning season for this species has been estimated to occur from between August and December as this is when the larvae are primarily spotted. [8]

Lifespan/Longevity

The life span of this specific species of fish is not yet supported by much or any data. Although, large specimens have been examined by Fitch and Schultz [9] were estimated to be around 9 or more years old. In another case, a specimen of P. serrula that was 33 cm in length was estimated to be about 15 years old using otoliths. [10]

Behavior

Pristigenys are reef and crevice dwelling marine fish that can be found swimming above the sediment layer at the bottom of the ocean at almost all hours of the day near holes in the sediment. These fish are carnivorous and nocturnal feeders [7] but some have been observed feeding diurnally in cave habitats. [4] Any of the feeding P. serrula does during the day is highly opportunistic. Caldwell and Bullis [11] writes their observations of an aquarium specimen of priacanthids appearing to sleep at night contrary to the wild fishes of this family foraging and feeding at night. Another important behavioral trait of this family of fishes is that they have been shown to produce sound and possibly receive it from one another. [7]

Food Habits

Species of priacanthids feed on a diet of crustaceans, small cephalopods, polychaetes, and small fishes. [4] These fish are most often found to be the predators of some smaller macrofauna, especially crabs. [10] Other creatures they prey on include octopuses, pelagic shrimp, stomatopods, small fish and polychaetes. [7]

Predation

Data pinpointing the specific predators of the P. serrula is not very clear but another species, Priacanthus japonicus, belonging to the same family have been found in the stomach of yellowfin tuna along with being parasitized by the copepod Caligus cookeoli. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priacanthidae</span> Family of fishes

The Priacanthidae, the bigeyes, are a family of 18 species of marine ray-finned fishes. "Catalufa" is an alternate common name for some members of the Priacanthidae. The etymology of the scientific name refers to the family's very rough, spined scales. The common name of "bigeye" refers to the member species' unusually large eyes, suited to their carnivorous and nocturnal lifestyles. Priacanthidae are typically colored bright red, but some have patterns in silver, dusky brown, or black. Most species reach a maximum total length of about 30 cm (12 in), although in a few species lengths of over 50 cm (20 in) are known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caproidae</span> Family of fishes

Caproidae, or boarfishes, are a small family of marine fishes comprising two genera and 19 species. These fishes are found throughout the world in temperate and tropical seas.

Catalufa is the common name for three species of fish belonging to the family Priacanthidae:

Scombrops oculatus, the Atlantic scombrops, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a gnomefish from the family Scombropidae. It is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Holacanthus bermudensis</i> Species of fish

Holacanthus bermudensis, also known as the blue angelfish or Bermuda blue angelfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigeye snapper</span> Species of fish

The bigeye snapper, also known as the bigeye seaperch, red sea lined snapper, golden striped snapper, rosy snapper, yellow snapper, or simply snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is the type species of the genus Lutjanus.

<i>Heteropriacanthus</i> Genus of ray-finned fishes

Heteropriacanthus, the glasseyes or glass bigeyes, are a genus of the bigeye family found in all tropical seas around the world. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 50.7 cm (20.0 in) in total length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Razorback scabbardfish</span> Species of fish

The razorback scabbardfish, Assurger anzac, is a rare species of cutlassfish, family Trichiuridae, and the only member of its genus. It has been caught from scattered locations worldwide: in the Atlantic Ocean it is known from off Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and the Walvis Ridge, in the Indian Ocean it is known from off western Australia, and in the Pacific Ocean it is known from off New Guinea, southern Japan, Midway Island, California, and the Nazca and Sala y Gomez Ridges. Adults are thought to be benthopelagic, occurring at a depth of 150–400 meters (490–1,310 ft), while juveniles are found near the surface or in midwater.

<i>Fowlerichthys radiosus</i> Species of fish

Fowlerichthys radiosus, the singlespot frogfish or big-eyed frogfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. This fish is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Priacanthus hamrur</i> Species of fish

Priacanthus hamrur, the lunar-tailed bigeye, goggle eye, or moontail bullseye, is a species of marine fishes belonging to the family Priacanthidae.

Owstonia taeniosoma is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cepolidae, the bandfishes. It is known from the Indo-West Pacific region.

<i>Cookeolus japonicus</i> Species of fish

Cookeolus japonicus is a species of fish in the family Priacanthidae, the bigeyes and catalufas. It is the only extant species of Cookeolus, except for C. spinolacrymatus, an extinct Late Pliocene fish known from a fossil specimen collected in Okinawa, Japan.

<i>Taractichthys steindachneri</i> Species of fish

Taractichthys steindachneri, the sickle pomfret, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a pomfret of the family Bramidae. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Pristigenys</i> Genus of ray-finned fishes

Pristigenys is a genus of marine ray-finned fish in the family Priacanthidae. It contains five extant species and one extinct species, P. substriata, which is known from fossils found in the Eocene of Monte Bolca, Italy.

<i>Pristigenys niphonia</i> Species of ray-finned fish

Pristigenys niphonia, the Japanese bigeye, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Priacanthidae. It occurs in the western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Priacanthus</i> Genus of ray-finned fishes

Priacanthus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Priacanthidae, the bigeyes. As of 2012 there are 12 species in the genus.

<i>Priacanthus blochii</i> Species of fish

Priacanthus blochii, the paeony bulleye, is a species of marine ray finned fish, a bigeye in the family Priacanthidae. Other common names for this species include Bloch's bigeye, blotched bigeye, glass-eyebigeye, shortfin bigeye, silver big-eye and goggle eye.

<i>Priacanthus tayenus</i> Species of ray-finned fish

Priacanthus tayenus, commonly known as purple-spotted bigeye, is a species of marine ray finned fish, a bigeye in the family Priacanthidae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Priacanthus sagittarius</i> Species of ray-finned fish

Priacanthus sagittarius, The arrow bulleye, is a species of marine ray finned fish, a bigeye in the family Priacanthidae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is also observed since 2009, in rare occasions, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which it most likely entered via the Suez Canal.

<i>Priacanthus arenatus</i> Species of fish

Priacanthus arenatus, the toro or Atlantic bigeye, is a species of marine ray finned fish, a bigeye in the family Priacanthidae. Some anglers refer to this fish as "toro snapper", but it is not a snapper, and only distantly related to the fish of the snapper family. It is found across much of the Atlantic Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 Allen, G.; Robertson, R.; Rivera, R.; Lea, B. (2010). "Pristigenys serrula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T178102A7487832. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T178102A7487832.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Pristigenys serrula". FishBase . December 2019 version.
  3. 1 2 3 "Popeye Catalufa Soldierfish". reefs.com. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Carnevale, Giorgio; Johnson, G. David; Marramà, Giuseppe; Bannikov, Alexandre F. (May 2017). "A reappraisal of the Eocene priacanthid fish Pristigenys substriata (Blainville, 1818) from Monte Bolca, Italy". Journal of Paleontology. 91 (3): 554–565. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2017.19 . ISSN   0022-3360. S2CID   89635871.
  5. 1 2 Jiménez and Béarez (2004). "Peces Marinos del Ecuador continental". Simbioe/Nazca/Ifea.
  6. 1 2 Gilbert, Charles (1890). Proceedings of the United States National Museum. Smithsonian Institution Press.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Starnes, Waynes (1988). "Revision, Phylogeny and Biogeographic Comments on the Circumtropical Marine Percoid Fish Family Priacanthidae". Bulletin of Marine Science.
  8. 1 2 Watson, W (1996). "The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region". California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations.
  9. ↑ Fitch, J.E. & Schultz, S.A. (1978) Some rare and unusual occurrences of fishes off California and Baja California. California Fish and Game, 64(2), 74–92
  10. 1 2 Grove, J.S. and R.J. Lavenberg, 1997. The fishes of the Galápagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford, 863 p.
  11. ↑ Caldwell, David K., and Harvey R. Bullis. "An Unusually Large Aggregation of Prejuvenile Bigeyes, Priacanthus Arenatus, in the West Indies." Copeia 1971, no. 1 (1971): 176–176. doi : 10.2307/1441625.
  12. ↑ Ho, J.S. & C.L. Lin. "Three More Unrecorded Sea Lice (Copepoda, Caligidae) Parasitic on Marine Fishes Collected off Tai-Dong, Taiwan." Crustaceana (Leiden) 83, no. 101261-1277. (2010): (10):1261-1277.
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