Page 354 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

352 ANIMAL LIFE

ORDER GOBIESOCIFORMES by turning over rocks and seaweeds
and searching in rock pools. The color
Cornish Sucker of the Cornish sucker is variable, but
it always has two blue spots outlined
Lepadogaster purpurea in brown, red, or black behind its
LENGTH head, and it has a small tentacle in
3 in (7 cm) front of each eye. In the spring or
WEIGHT summer, females lay clusters of golden
Not recorded yellow eggs on the undersides of rocks
DEPTH on the shore. The eggs are guarded by
0–6 ft (0–2 m) the parent fish until they hatch.
DISTRIBUTION Temperate waters of northeastern
Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea Also known as the Mediterranean
ORDER BELONIFORMES
flyingfish, this species is distinguished
Strong waves are no problem to this Atlantic Flyingfish by its very large, winglike pectoral and
little fish—it can cling to rocks with a pelvic fins. If a predator, such as a tuna,
powerful sucker formed from its Cheilopogon heterurus attacks from below, the fish will beat
pelvic fins. It also has a low-profile LENGTH its powerful forked tail rapidly, spread
body and a flattened, triangular head Up to 16 in (40 cm) its “wings” at the last moment, and lift
with a long snout that resembles WEIGHT clear of the surface away from danger.
a duck’s bill. This shape allows Not recorded The fish continues to beat its tail
the fish to slip easily between DEPTH even in mid-flight and it can remain
the rocks and, because it is only a Surface waters airborne for over 330 ft (100 m). The
few centimetres long, it may be DISTRIBUTION Tropical and warm temperate waters Atlantic flyingfish is edible, but is not
difficult to spot, but it can be found worldwide commercially exploited.

Rendered almost invisible by its Although not as thin as its needlefish
ORDER BELONIFORMES ORDER BELONIFORMES
silvery color and needle-like shape, relatives, the Atlantic saury has a similar
Hound Needlefish the hound needlefish swims along Atlantic Saury narrow body and a long, beak-like
just beneath the surface, hunting for snout lined with tiny teeth. The body
other fish that also live over coral Scomberesox saurus
Tylosurus crocodiles is clear green above and bright silver
LENGTH reefs. Its long, thin snout is shaped LENGTH on the sides. It has a single dorsal and
Up to 5 ft (1.5 m) like a spear, and it has been known to Up to 20 in (50 cm) anal fin, each followed by a series of
WEIGHT puncture small boats and cause severe WEIGHT small finlets. This fish lives in large
Up to 14 lb (6.5 kg) injury to people by shooting up into Not recorded schools that chase and capture smaller
DEPTH the air when frightened. Although DEPTH fish and shrimplike crustaceans while
0–43 ft (0–13 m) edible, the hound needlefish is 0–100 ft (0–30 m) skimming along at the surface. It is
DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters over coral reefs not popular as a food fish because DISTRIBUTION North, northwestern, and eastern fished commercially and is caught by
worldwide it has green-colored flesh. Atlantic and Mediterranean being attracted to bright lights at night.

ORDER BERYCIFORMES ORDER BERYCIFORMES
Pineapplefish Eyelight Fish

Cleidopus gloriamaris Photoblepharon palpebratum
LENGTH LENGTH
Up to 9 in (22 cm) 5 in (12 cm)
WEIGHT WEIGHT
Up to 16 oz (500 g) Not recorded
DEPTH 10–650 ft DEPTH
(3–200 m) 23–82 ft (7–25 m)
DISTRIBUTION Temperate waters of eastern Indian DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of western and
Ocean and southwestern Pacific around Australia central Pacific
The pineapplefish is completely
encased in armor consisting of large,
thick, modified scales studded with
spines. Each yellow scale is outlined
in black, resembling a segment of
pineapple skin. This fish, which lives
in dark caves and under ledges on
ORDER BERYCIFORMES soldierfish is red, as are most members rocky reefs, has a pair of bioluminescent
of its family (Holocentridae). The organs on its lower jaw that are
Whitetip Soldierfish leading edges of its median fins are hidden by the upper jaw when the
white. At depth, where natural red mouth is closed. Orange during the
Myripristis vittata light does not penetrate, the fish’s red day, the organs glow blue-green at The most characteristic feature of this
LENGTH color appears black or gray, providing night, when they are used to help find small fish is the large light organ
Up to 10 in (25 cm) it with camouflage, especially on the prey, such as crustaceans and small fish. under each eye. The blue-green light
WEIGHT deeper parts of the reef. Like many can be turned on and off using a black
Not recorded nocturnal fish, the whitetip soldierfish membrane like an eyelid. These fish are
OCEAN LIFE DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of Indian and Pacific moonlight and then snap them other individuals, startle predators, and
has large eyes, which help it to
active at night, often feeding in large
DEPTH 10–260 ft (
3–80 m)
groups, and use the light to signal to
spot planktonic animals by dim
oceans
find small planktonic animals to feed
up. It has a short, blunt snout, large
on. Eyelight fish are sometimes seen
scales, and a deeply forked tail.
Soldierfish are nocturnal coral-reef
at night by divers on steep reef
Divers have observed that some
faces. Daytime sightings are rare,
residents that hide in groups in caves
individuals in a group of whitetip
and beneath overhangs on steep reefs
soldierfish often swim along
as these fish usually hide in caves
upside down.
during the daytime. The whitetip
during the day.