Page 362 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

360 ANIMAL LIFE

ORDER PERCIFORMES predators split up and scour the reef ORDER PERCIFORMES Although a member of the predatory
for prey. Built for speed, these silvery trevally family Carangidae (see left),
Bigeye Trevally fish have a narrow tail base, which is Pilotfish the pilotfish has taken up a scavenging,
reinforced with bony plates called nomadic existence, traveling with large,
Caranx sexfasciatus scutes, and a forked caudal fin. The Naucrates ductor ocean-dwelling bony fish, sharks, rays,
LENGTH first dorsal fin folds down into a LENGTH and turtles. Its slim, silvery to pale bluish
Up to 4ft (1.2m) groove to improve the streamlining Up to 28in (70cm) body is marked with six or seven bold
WEIGHT of the fish, and the pectoral fins are WEIGHT black bands. These may help the host
Up to 40lb (18kg) narrow and curved. Not recorded fish recognize it and so leave it alone.
DEPTH There are many different species of DEPTH Darting in when its host has made a
3–330ft (1–100m) trevally, which are difficult to tell apart. 0–100ft (0–30m) kill, the pilotfish eats any scraps it can
DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of Indian Ocean The bigeye trevally has a relatively DISTRIBUTION Tropical, subtropical, and temperate find and also removes parasites. Young
and Pacific large eye and the second dorsal fin waters worldwide fish associate with jellyfish.
usually has a white tip. These fish make
During the day, shoals of bigeye good eating and are common in local
trevally spiral lazily in coral reef markets in Southeast Asia. Juvenile ORDER PERCIFORMES The distinctive feature of the
channels and next to steep reef slopes, bigeye trevally live close inshore and sharksucker is the powerful sucker
but at night, these fast-swimming may enter estuaries and rivers. Sharksucker disk on the top of its head, which
enables it to attach itself securely to
another fish. It feeds on its host’s
Echeneis naucrates
LENGTH scraps and parasites, and also on small
Up to 3 ft (1m) fish. Usually found attached to sharks
WEIGHT or other large fish, cetaceans, and
Up to 5lb (2.3kg) turtles, the sharksucker also swims
DEPTH freely over coral reefs. Its body is long
65–165ft (20–50m) and thin and ends in
DISTRIBUTION Tropical, subtropical, and temperate a fanlike tail.
waters worldwide
ridged oval sucker
disk replaces first
dorsal fin

lower jaw
juts out beyond
upper jaw

ORDER PERCIFORMES ORDER PERCIFORMES
Dolphinfish Sergeant Major

Coryphaena hippurus Abudefduf saxatilis
LENGTH LENGTH
Up to 7ft (2.1m) Up to 9in (23cm)
WEIGHT WEIGHT
Up to 88lb (40kg) Up to 7oz (200g)
DEPTH DEPTH
0–280ft (0–85m) 3–50ft (1–15m)
DISTRIBUTION Tropical, subtropical, and temperate DISTRIBUTION Tropical and subtropical waters of
waters worldwide Atlantic Ocean
With its shimmering colors, a This small fish is a familiar sight on
dolphinfish leaping clear of the water most coral reefs in the Atlantic. It is
is a spectacular sight. Metallic blues one of the most common members of
and greens cover its back and sides, the damselfish family (Pomacentridae).
grading into white and yellow on the It feeds on zooplankton in large groups,
underside. A fast ocean-dwelling fish, gathering above the reef to pick tiny
it is powered by a long, forked tail, animals and fish eggs from the water.
with a single elongated dorsal fin In tourist areas, the fish are attracted
providing stability. Also known as the ORDER PERCIFORMES spends its whole life with its chosen to divers and boats, and will eat almost
dorado, it is a valuable market fish. anemone, which can be one of three anything that is offered. Male sergeant
False Clown species. At night, it sleeps among the majors prepare a nesting area and guard
bases of the tentacles on the anemone’s the eggs laid by the females. A similar
Anemonefish disk. The fish is not stung and eaten species, Abudefduf vaigiensis, is found
because the anemone does not know on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
it is there: a special slime covers the
Amphiprion ocellaris
LENGTH fish’s body and prevents the anemone
Up to 4in (11cm)
from recognizing it as food. Each
WEIGHT anemone usually supports a large
Not recorded
female, her smaller male partner,
OCEAN LIFE DISTRIBUTION Tropical waters of eastern Indian sex and becomes female and the
DEPTH
and several immature fish.
3–50ft (1–15m)
If the female dies, the male changes
Ocean and western Pacific
largest immature fish takes on the

male role. Both the false clown and
the clown anemonefish are among
The most surprising thing about the
the most popular aquarium fish, and
false clown anemonefish is its home.
It lives inside a giant stinging anemone. numbers have been reduced in some
This small orange and white fish
areas by overcollecting.