| Rock gunnel | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Scorpaeniformes |
| Family: | Pholidae |
| Genus: | Pholis |
| Species: | P. gunnellus |
| Binomial name | |
| Pholis gunnellus (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
The rock gunnel (Pholis gunnellus), or butterfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Pholidae, the gunnels. This species is found in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Atlantic part of the Arctic Ocean.
The rock gunnel was first formally described in 1758 as Blennius gunnellus in the 10th edition of the Systema Naturae by Carl Linnaeus with the type locality given as the Atlantic. [2] In 1777 by the Italian naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli proposed the genus Pholis and Linnaeus's Blennius gunnellus was later designated to be its type species. [3] The specific name gunnellis is a latinisation of an English, possibly originating in Cornwall, local name for this species, gunnel. [4]
The rock gunnel is often mistaken for an eel due to its flattened, elongated body. Fully grown adults can reach 30 cm in length. A long dorsal fin spans the body from just behind the head, supported by soft spiny rays. Its anal fin begins roughly midway along the body. The head is rather small with its lower jaw protruding and mouth turned upwards. Coloration is highly variable, ranging from hues of yellow-green to brown to crimson. A row of 9-13 dark spots, each surrounded by a pale ring, lines the dorsal fin. [5] The butterfish has a maximum published standard length of 25 cm (9.8 in). [1]
The rock gunnel is found in the coastal waters of North America and Europe. It ranges from Labrador and Greenland to Delaware Bay in the West Atlantic, and from the Kanin Peninsula to the Bay of Biscay in the East Atlantic. [1] Within its range it is found from the intertidal zone to depths of over 100 m. The rock gunnel uses habitat sheltered by rocks and algae both above and below the waterline, likely to protect it from its natural predators, which include seabirds, fish, and marine mammals. [6]
The rock gunnel may remain above the waterline at low tide, sheltered beneath rocks and algae, and can breathe air if necessary. [6] They are frequently encountered on rocky shorelines, and splash around noticeably when uncovered. Within its North American range, the rock gunnel disappears from the intertidal during winter, likely to avoid freezing air temperatures. [7] Their diet is made up of small crustaceans, polychaetes, mollusks and the eggs of fish. The female lays the eggs in a large mass on the seabed and this is closely guarded until the larvae hatch. The butterfish spawns from November to January, the female laying between 80 and 200 eggs in a ball-like mass placed beneath a stone or in the empty shell of a bivalve. [1]
The bandfishes, family Cepolidae, are 23 species of marine ray-finned fishes, They are native to the East Atlantic and Indo-Pacific wherethey dig burrows in sandy or muddy seabeds and eat zooplankton.
Anarhichadidae, the wolffishes, sea wolves or wolf eels, is a family of marine ray finned fishes belonging to the order Scorpaeniformes. These are predatory, eel shaped fishes which are native to the cold waters of the Arctic, North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans.
Pholidae is a family of marine ray-finned fishes, known as gunnels, in the Scorpaeniform suborder Zoarcoidei. These are fishes of the littoral zone and are mainly found in North Pacific Ocean, with two species found in the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean.
The stripedfin ronquil, also known as the bluebanded ronquil, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Bathymasteridae, the ronquils. This fish is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.
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The gray angelfish, also written as grey angelfish and known in Jamaica as the pot cover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the marine angelfish family, Pomacanthidae. It is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
The wolf eel is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Anarhichadidae, the wolf fishes. It is found in the North Pacific Ocean. Despite its common name and resemblance, it is not a true eel. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Anarrhichthys.
Scatophagus argus, the spotted scat, butterfish, mia mia, spotted butterfish or tiger scat, is a species of fish in the scat family Scatophagidae. It occurs in two basic color morphs which are called green scat and ruby or red scat. This fish is generally distributed around the Indo-Pacific region, to Japan, New Guinea, and southeastern Australia. They live in coastal muddy areas, including estuaries, mangroves, harbours, and the lower courses of rivers. They are popular aquarium fish.
Anarhichas is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Anarhichadidae, the wolffishes or sea wolves. These fishes are found in the northern North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.
Prionotus carolinus, the northern sea robin, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the sea robins. This fish is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The grey gurnard is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. It is caught as a food fish and is known for producing sounds. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Eutrigla.
Scorpaena scrofa, the red scorpionfish, bigscale scorpionfish, large-scaled scorpion fish, or rascasse is a venomous marine species of ray-finned fish in the family Scorpaenidae, the scorpionfishes. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean.
The black scorpionfish, also known as the European scorpionfish or small-scaled scorpionfish, is a venomous scorpionfish, common in marine subtropical waters. It is widespread in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean from the British Isles to the Azores and Canary Islands, near the coasts of Morocco, in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
The red gurnard, also known as the East Atlantic red gurnard or soldier, is a benthic species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.
Peristedion is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Peristediidae, the armoured gurnards or armored sea robins. These fishes are found in Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific ocean waters.
The crescent gunnel, also known as the bracketed blenny, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Pholidae, the gunnels. This fish occurs in the shallow coastal waters of the eastern North Pacific Ocean.
Membras martinica, the rough silverside, is a species of Neotropical silverside from the family Atherinopsidae, it is the type species of the genus Membras.
The spotbanded scat,(Selenotoca multifasciata), also known as the striped scat, banded scat, barred scat, butterfish, John Dory, Johnny Dory, old maid, Southern butter-fish or striped butterfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Scatophagidae, the scats. They are found in the eastern Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean.
Pholis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Pholidae, the gunnels. These fishes are found in shallow coastal waters of the North Pacific, Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.
Peristedion cataphractum, the African armoured gurnard, the mailed gurnard or armed gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Peristediidae, the armoured gurnards or armored sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.