Video: Fish
2010-11-19
Fish Groupings
2010-01-24
| 1 | Butterflyfish, angelfish,surgeonfish | チョウチョウウオ、キンチャクダイ、ニザダイ |
| 2 | Jacks, barracuda, porgy, chubs | アジ、オニカマス、タイ、イスズミ |
| 3 | Snappers, grunts | フエダイ、イサキ |
| 4 | Damselfish, hamlets | スズメダイ、クマノミ |
| 5 | Groupers, seabass, basslets | ハタ、スズキ、ハナダイ |
| 6 | Parrotfish, wrasse | ブダイ、ベラ |
| 7 | Squirrelfish, bigeyes, cardinalfish | キンメダイ、キントキダイ、テンジクダイ |
| 8 | Blennies, gobies, jawfish | ギンポ、ハゼ、アゴアマダイ |
| 9 | Flounders, scorpionfish, lizardfish, frogfish | ダルマカレイ、カサゴ、エソ、イザリウオ |
| 10 | Filefish, triggerfish, puffers, trunkfish, cowfish, goatfish, trumpetfish | カワハギ、モンガラカワハギ、フグ、ハコフグ、ウミスズメ、ヒメジ、ヤガラ |
| 11 | Eels | ウツボ |
| 12 | Sharks, rays | サメ、エイ |
- “When surveying fish in temperate or tropical waters, you can easily group most fish into one of 12 groups, each of which represents several families.” (PADI, Adventures in Diving Manual, p.26)
- “Scientific name is composed of two parts. The first part is the genus or generic name and the second is the species or specific name.
- Related genera (plural of genus) （属）are grouped together in a family （科）, whose spelling always ends in ?dae. Worldwide there are about 450 families.
- A group of similar families is placed in one of the 35 orders of fishes whose spelling always ends in ?iformes (目）.
- The highest rungs on the ladder of classification pertain to class and phylum.” (Alllen, p.18)
Group 1
- Butterflyfish have thin, oval or disk shaped bodies.
- Typically have bright colors and patterns.
- They have long snouts to feed from crevices.
“Renowned for their exquisite color patterns and graceful appearance. They are perhaps the best known of all reef fishes. Many of the species feed partly or exclusively on live corals. They are often seen in pairs, which scientific studies have revealed are permanent lifetime bonds.“ (Allen & Steene, p.259)
- Surgeonfish usually have solid color.
- They have spines sticking out from each side of their body near the tail.
They each algae.
“Often seen in schools, sometimes containing several species. They graze on the filamentous algal that covers the reef.“ (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 2
- Jacks are large silver fish.
- They are seen in open water at the reef edge.
Group 3
- Snapper and grunts have tapered bodies and heads that slope toward the mouth.
“Snappers live well below the depth penetrated by most recreational anglers. … Fishers utilise extraordinary length of monofilament handline, weighted with rocks. Depth between 50 and 100 metres are routinely fished.” (Allen, p.126)
“Grunts: most members of this family are found in reefs. Young grunts feed on zooplankton; whereas adults eat a variety of benthic invertebrates.” (Allen, p.128)
Group 4
- Damselfish tend to swim freely, often in schools.
- Anemonefish have distinct nests and territories, and tries to chase away intruders.
“Perhaps the most conspicuous inhabitants of the reef. They form large plankton-feeding schools above the reef. Other bottom-dwelling species occupy territories that blanket the reef’s surface. Spawning activity is readily observable. The male parent guard a nest of eggs (often on rocky bottom) during a 2-7 day incubation period.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 5
- Groupers have dark brown and grey shades on the skin.
- They have rather large and thick lips.
- They live solitary near the bottom.
- Seabass are smaller and enlongated.
- Basslets are still smaller, and colorful.
“This large diverse group includes some of the reefs largest fishes. … The family also includes the dainty and brightly colored fairy basslets or Anthias, which are particularly common on outer reefs and dropoffs. Sex change from female to male is found in most species.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 6
- Parrotfish have beak-like month, looking like that of parrots. Their color also resembles that of parrots.
- They live at the bottom and feed on algae on the reef surface.
- Wrasse are smaller and longer than parrotfish. They come in different colors, but always bright, much like rainbows.
- They feed near the sandy bottom or close to the reef.
“Parrotfish are close relatives of the wrasse and on of the dominant algal-feeding families. Juveniles and female are generally drab in comparison to the gaudily colored terminal phase males. Individuals are capable of female to male sex change. They consume considerable amounts of coral rock while feeding. It is ground to a fine powder by special teeth in the throat and voided with the faces.”
“Wrasses: These colorful fishes inhabit all reef environments. They feed mainly on small invertebrates, either on the bottom or in midwater. They usually spawn at dusk either in pairs of in groups that are dominated by one or more gaudily colored males. The numerous tiny effs rise to the surface and are not cared for by the parents. Most wrasses are capable of female to male sex change.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 7
- Squirrelfish have a dorsal fin looking like a squirrel’s tail.
- They are reddish, often with visible stripes.
“They are characterized by rough scales, prominent fin spines, a large eye, and red coloration.” ((Allen, p. 66)
- Bigeyes come with much larger eyes.
- They have deep red color, without stripes.
- They often hide in cracks during the day, feeding only during the night.
“Bigeyes are similar in appearance to the squirrelfishes and soldierfishes, but are distinguished by smaller scale, a larger, upturned month, and lack of spines on the head.” (Allen, p.100)
- Cardinal fish are smaller and come in various colors, ranging from red to yellow.
“The nocturnal counterpart of damselfishes in terms of sheer abundance. During the day some species form huge nesting aggregation around coral formations. Others retire in caves and crevices. At night they actively feed on small shrimps and crabs. Males incubate the female’s egg mass in their mouth.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 8
- This group has long bodies.
- They live near the bottom, often in small holes at the bottom.
- They perch on their pectoral fins motionless, moving forward from time to time
“Blennies: Small territorial bottom dwellers. They are seen solitarily or in small groups. Eggs are laid in crevices, under rocks, or in abandoned shells and warm tubes. The male guards them until hatching.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
“Most of the blennies are common inhabitants of shallow reef flats, the intertidal zome and splash pools along rocky shores.” (Allen, p.208)
“Gobies: These small bottom-living fishes are actually the most abundant of all reef fishes in terms of numbers of species. But they are easily overlooked due to their diminutive size (many are under 4-5 cm) and cryptic habits. … Some of the most beautiful members of the family share their sandy burrows with shrimps. Spawning habits are similar to those of blennies.” (Allen & Steene, p.259)
Group 9
- This group consists of bottom-dwelling fish.
- Flounders are flat fish, often burying themselves in sand, well camouflaged in this way.
- The eyes are on one side of the body.
- They can change color according to the surrounding environment.
“The larvae actually begin life looking very much like normal, symmetrical fish larvae—but profound changes occur during their first few weeks. One of the eyes slowly migrates across the top of the head and other body parts become asymmetrically distorted.“
“Flatfishes possess chameleon-like powers enabling them to quickly match their surroundings. The underside of these fishes is usually devoid of pigment.“(Allen, p.236)
Group 10
- All the fish in this group have unusual shapes.
- All are free swimming.
- Filefish and triggerfish (next) are commonly called leatherjackets for their rough skin.
- Filefish are more laterally compressed.
- Puffers can swell their bodies like balloons when threatened by swallowing water. The spines stand out when they “puff “.
- “ The flesh, especially the viscera, contains a potent toxin that has caused many human fatalities. “(Allen, p. 244)
- They have box-shaped bodies.
- They look alike, but cowfish have two “horns “ above the eyes.
- They swim slowly but freely above the bottom.
“Their bodies are encased in a bony carapace and the fins are relatively small. …. Some species produce a toxic mucus that can kill other fishes.“
(Allen, p. 244)
- Goatfish get their name due to their goat-like “beard “.
- They come in variety of colors.
- They feed on the bottom.
“They are characterized by a relatively elongate body, two widely separated dorsal fins, and the presence of a pair of long chin barbels that are used for detecting food. When they are not being used the barbels are tucked tightly under the chin. “
(Allen, p.142)
- They have long, tube-like bodies and long mouths which gained their name.
- There are blue, yellow, or grey.
- They sometimes swim their head down or alongside other bigger fish for camouflage.
- Seahorse is of this family.
Group 11
- Although they appear like snakes, eels are fish.
- They live in holes and crevices at the bottom. They come out and feed at night.
- Moray is the most common eel.
- Unless provoked, in most cases eels do not attack humans.
“While it is true that some larger eels have attacked humans, in most cases the eel had been provoked in some manner. Large eels should definitely not be teased. … “ (Allen, p.52)
not an eel
Group 12
- “Sharks and rays are very specialized fishes that represent a primitive stage of evolutionary process. Many of the present genera of sharks, skates, and rays date back more than 100 million years.“ (Allen, p.46)
- Bodies of sharks and rays consist of flexible cartilage, lacking true bones.
- Sharks swim like other fish, using their tail.
- Rays have pectoral fins that they use like wings.
- “ Typical features of rays include a greatly flattened body that is often disc-shaped, and the presence of five, ventrally located gill openings..“ (Allen, p.46)
“ Sharks are crucial in ocean food chains. By killing and eating old or sick animals they help keep marine eco-systems healthy..“ (SPC, 2005)
A small number of sharks are known to be dangerous, such as Bull Shark (オオメジロザメ）, Tiger Shark (イタチザメ）, Great White Shark (ホホジロザメ）, most others do not attack unless threatened, and there are plankton eaters such as Whale Shark (ジンベイザメ）
Fish References
- Gerry Allen, Marine Fishes of South-East Asia, Western Australian Museum; Periplus Editions (HK), 2000.
- Gerald R. Allen and Roger Steene, Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Field Guide, Singapore: Tropical Reef Research, 2002.
- J.S. Nelson, Fishes of the World, Third Edition, New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1994.
- Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Fisheries Management by Communities, New Caledonia, 2000.
- Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Shark Identification in Pacific Tropical Offshore Fisheries, New Caledonia, 2005.
- PADI: Drew Richardson, ed. Adventures in Diving Manual, International PADI Inc. 2001.
- Etsu Hidemitsu, Okinawa Sakana Zukan (Okinawa Fishes Illustrated), Okinawa Marine Shuppan.
- Osamu Okanura and Kunio Amaoka, eds. Nihonno Kaisuigyo (Marines Fishes of Japan), Yamato Keikoku, 1997.