Page 359 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

BONY FISHES 357

ORDER SYNGNATHIFORMES ORDER GASTEROSTEIFORMES
Pygmy Seahorse Three-spined
Stickleback
Hippocampus bargibanti
LENGTH
Gasterosteus aculeatus
1 in (2.5 cm)
LENGTH
WEIGHT
Not recorded 4 in (11 cm)
WEIGHT
DEPTH
50–165 ft (15–50 m) Not recorded
DEPTH
DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of southwestern
Pacific 0–330 ft (0–100 m)
DISTRIBUTION Temperate waters of north Atlantic
and north Pacific
This miniature seahorse lives on
Muricella sea fans and was originally
discovered when a sea fan was The three-spined stickleback is
collected for an aquarium. It is very equally at home in fresh water and sea
difficult to spot as its body is covered water. It has three sharp spines on its
in tubercles that exactly match the back and a series of bony plates along
polyps of its host. Clinging on tightly its sides. This species is best known for
with its prehensile tail, it reaches out its breeding behavior, which involves
into the water to suck in planktonic the male building a tunnel-like nest of
animals. Like other seahorses, it has plant material into which he entices
a rigid body made up of bony plates one or more females to lay their eggs.
and a head that is tucked in like He fans oxygenated water over the
a tightly reined carriage horse. eggs as they develop.

ORDER SYNGNATHIFORMES ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES The stonefish is the world’s most
venomous fish, and its sting is capable
Razorfish Stonefish of killing a human. Each sharply
tipped spine of the dorsal fin has a
Aeoliscus strigatus Synanceia verrucosa venom gland at the base from which
LENGTH LENGTH a duct runs in a groove to the spine
6 in (15 cm) Up to 16 in (40 cm) tip. Lying quietly on rocks or sediment
WEIGHT WEIGHT in the shallows, the stonefish matches
Not recorded Up to 5 1 / 2 lb (2.5 kg) its color to its background and is easily
DEPTH DEPTH stepped on. Its camouflage helps it to
3–65 ft (1–20 m) 3–100 ft (1–30 m) ambush passing fish, which are sucked
DISTRIBUTION Tropical reefs in Indian Ocean and DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of Indian Ocean and into its cavernous mouth with
western Pacific western Pacific lightening speed.
While some reef fish habitually
swim upside down, razorfish swim
in synchronized groups in a vertical
position, with their long, tubular
snouts pointing down. These strange
fish are encased in transparent bony
plates that meet in a sharp ridge
along the belly, like the edge of a
razor, and also form a sharp point
at the tail. A dark stripe along the
body provides camouflage for the
razorfish when hiding among sea
urchins and branched corals.

ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES
Lionfish

Pterois volitans
LENGTH
Up to 15 in (38 cm)
WEIGHT
Not recorded Bullheads are small, cold-water
ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES
DEPTH relatives of scorpionfish and the
7–180 ft (2–55 m) Long-spined stonefish (see above). Like them, they
DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of eastern Indian are stout, bottom-living fish with a
Ocean and western Pacific Bullhead broad head, large mouth, and spiny
fins. The long-spined bullhead also has
Although the lionfish can inflict a Taurulus bubalis a long, sharp spine on each cheek.
painful sting, it is usually not dangerous LENGTH None of its spines is venomous. These
Up to 10 in (25 cm)
to humans. Its flamboyant coloration small fish can be found in rock pools,
of red stripes serves as a warning both WEIGHT but are difficult to spot as they match
Not recorded
to divers and to would-be predators. their color to their background. In the OCEAN LIFE
Also known as the turkeyfish, it hunts DEPTH winter, the female lays clumps of eggs
0–330 ft (0–100 m)
at night using its winglike pectoral fins between rocks. These are then guarded
to trap its prey of fish, shrimp, and DISTRIBUTION Temperate waters of northeastern by the male until they hatch between
Atlantic and western Mediterranean
crabs against the reef. five and 12 weeks later.