Zoologger: Transgender fish perform reverse sex flip
provided by EOL authors
When it comes to selecting mates, hawkfish keep their options open. The flamboyantly coloured reef dwellers start life as females but can transform into males after maturing...
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Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
This species possess numerous short filaments at the tip of each dorsal spine. Thickened and elongate lower pectoral rays.Description: Characterized by white color with reddish brown saddles tapered ventrally; rear half of body with vertical rows of red-brown blotches; under eye with pair of reddish bars; dorsal and caudal fin spotted; presence of palatine teeth; coarsely serrate posterior margin of preopercle; greatest depth of body 2.9-3.4 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
Pelagic spawner (Ref. 31569). Spawning ascents into the water column occurred over a distance of 0.2 to 0.6 m (Ref. 54536).
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 6
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Occurs inshore (Ref. 75154).
- Recorder
- Drina Sta. Iglesia
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Shallow coastal to outer reef flats and slopes to 45 m depth (Ref. 48636). Common inhabitant of coral reefs, typically resting at the bases of coral heads (Ref. 9710). Studies indicate that it is haremic and spawns nightly (Ref. 37816). Occasionally in pairs (Ref. 48636). Sometimes solitary (Ref 90102).
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
分布
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
分布於西太平洋區，由菲律賓至薩摩亞，北至琉球及小笠原群島，南至澳洲大堡礁及新加勒多尼亞等沿海。台灣各地沿海及離島之珊湖礁區可見其蹤跡。
利用
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
一般以潛水方式捕捉。為觀賞魚類，無食用經濟價值。
描述
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
體延長而呈長橢圓形；頭背部於眼上方略凹；體背隆起，腹緣近平直。吻略鈍。眼中大，近頭背緣。前鰓蓋骨後緣具強鋸齒；鰓蓋骨後緣具棘。上下頜齒細小；鋤骨齒及腭骨齒皆存在。體被圓鱗；眼眶間隔具鱗；側線鱗數42-45。背鰭單一，硬棘部及軟條部間具缺刻，硬棘部之鰭膜末端呈簇鬚狀，硬棘數X，軟條數12，第1軟條延長，但不呈絲狀；臀鰭硬棘數III，軟條數6；胸鰭最長之鰭條末端達臀鰭起點。體灰白色至淡褐色，腹部較淡，體側具5條紅褐色至暗褐色橫帶，其前二條為小斑點組成，後三條為大斑點組成，皆延伸至背鰭；頭部眼下方另具2紅褐色斜帶；吻部亦具1褐色斜帶。各鰭淡色，背及尾鰭具紅褐色斑點。
棲地
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
主要棲息於珊瑚繁生的區域；通常喜歡停棲於珊瑚頭的基部，伺機捕食獵物。以甲殼類或小型魚類為食。行一夫多妻制，且在日落後產卵。
Dwarf hawkfish
provided by wikipedia EN
The dwarf hawkfish, (Cirrhitichthys falco), is a small species of hawkfish found on tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific region from the Maldives to the Caroline Islands and Samoa. It can sometimes be found in the aquarium trade.[2]
Taxonomy
The dwarf hawkfish was first formally described in 1963 by the American ichthyologist John Ernest Randall with the type locality given as Davao Gulf, Mindanao in the Philippines.[3] The specific name falco is Latin for “falcon”, Randall did not explain the name but it may be a play on the common name hawkfish.[4]
Description
The dwarf hawkfish can reach 7 cm (2.8 in) in total length. The dorsal fin has ten spines with numerous tassels on the tips of the spines. The anal fin has three spines and six soft rays. The pectoral fins are thick and elongated and spread out when the fish is resting on the substrate. This fish is pinkish-red and white in color with vertical banding or mottling.[2]
Distribution and habitat
The dwarf hawkfish is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from the eastern coast of Africa and the Maldives to Samoa, the Ryukyu Islands, northern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. It is a common member of the reef community on outer reef slopes and flats and is found at depths down to about 45 m (148 ft).[2]
Behavior
The dwarf hawkfish typically rests at the bottom of massive corals. It usually occurs singly but may be in pairs and feeds on fish larvae, small crustaceans and other invertebrates on the seabed.[2]
Like many fish, this species can change sex. A dominant male keeps a harem of several females. If a harem becomes too large, one of the females may become a male and take on part of the harem as a dominant male. What makes this species unusual is that the new male may revert to the female sex if challenged by a more powerful male. A male can become a female and successfully breed, laying fertile eggs.[5]
Gallery
Dwarf hawkfish at Dauin Philippines, 2012
Dwarf hawkfish at Moalboal Philippines, 2014
References
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^ Greenfield, D. and Williams, I. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Cirrhitichthys falco". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T67997318A115451031. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T67997318A68001656.en. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
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^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2021). "Cirrhitichthys falco" in FishBase. June 2021 version.
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^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Cirrhitichthys". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
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^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (25 February 2021). "Order CENTRARCHIFORMES: Families CENTRARCHIDAE, ELASSOMATIDAE, ENOPLOSIDAE, SINIPERCIDAE, APLODACTYLIDAE, CHEILODACTYLIDAE, CHIRONEMIDAE, CIRRHITIDAE, LATRIDAE, PERCICHTHYIDAE, DICHISTIIDAE, GIRELLIDAE, KUHLIIDAE, KYPHOSIDAE, OPLEGNATHIDAE, TERAPONTIDAE, MICROCANTHIDAE and SCORPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
-
^ Whyte, C. Transgender fish perform reverse sex flip. New Scientist January 6, 2012.
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- Wikipedia authors and editors
Dwarf hawkfish: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The dwarf hawkfish, (Cirrhitichthys falco), is a small species of hawkfish found on tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific region from the Maldives to the Caroline Islands and Samoa. It can sometimes be found in the aquarium trade.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Description
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Common inhabitant of coral reefs, typically resting at the bases of coral heads.
Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (02/2023).
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- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board
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