Spade fish

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spade fish
Pacific spade fish (Chaetodipterus zonatus)

Pacific spade fish ( Chaetodipterus zonatus )

Systematics
Sub-cohort : Neoteleostei
Acanthomorphata
Spinefish (Acanthopterygii)
Perch relatives (Percomorphaceae)
Order : Surgeonfish (Acanthuriformes)
Family : Spade fish
Scientific name
Ephippidae
Bleeker , 1859

The family of spade fish (Ephippidae) consists of 15 species in eight genera . Their best-known representatives are the batfish ( Platax ). Spade fish live in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian Oceans , and rarely in brackish water .

features

Spade fish have a strongly flattened, high-backed, almost round body. The largest species, the Atlantic spade fish ( Chaetodipterus faber ), which lives in the western Atlantic from Brazil to the southeast coast of the United States, grows to 90 centimeters, the other species reach lengths of 40 to 60 centimeters. Spade fish have 24 vertebrae and six Branchiostegal rays . Their mouth is small, ploughshare and palatal bone toothless. The first epibranchial (the bone support of the upper branch of the first gill arch) is covered with comb-like, large gill-trap rays . The basihyale, an element between the hyoid bones, is reduced or completely absent. The gill membranes have grown together on the isthmus .

The dorsal and anal fins, which are particularly elongated in juvenile fish, are almost symmetrically opposite each other. With the exception of the batfish, the hard and soft-nosed parts of the dorsal fin are almost completely separated. Spade fish are light, gray to silvery in color, with, especially in juvenile fish, distinct vertical brown or black stripes and yellow zones in the fins. The eyes are often covered by the first strip.

Fin formula : dorsal V or IX / 18–40, anal III / 15–28.

Way of life

Spade fish live near the coast in shallow water over sandy bottoms, in mangroves , in front of and over coral reefs , in ports and feed on algae and various invertebrates such as sponges , cnidarians , mussels , snails , bristle worms and sea ​​squirts . Young fish can form large schools, while adults tend to appear in small groups or as solitary animals. Little is known about the reproduction of the animals. Spawning is likely to occur in open water in large reproductive communities. Spawning of the Atlantic spade fish has been observed in an aquarium at the Tulsa Zoo . A group of five spawned together. The eggs were planktonic and 1 to 1.2 mm in diameter. The larvae hatched after about 24 hours, swam in a controlled manner after two days and began to eat. They could be raised.

Some spade fish are popular with anglers as strong fighters. However, they are considered overfished and most of the specimens caught are still young and far from their maximum size.

species

Ephippus orbis
Platax orbicularis

Fossil record

Fossil spade fish such as Eoplatax papilio and Platax altissimus are known from the middle Eocene of the northern Italian Monte Bolca formation, which arose from Tethys deposits .

  • Eoplatax papilio

  • Exellia velifer

  • Platax altissimus

  • Platax micropterigius

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter Bucher: zoo animal keeping 5. Fish . German Harri GmbH, 2005, ISBN 3-8171-1352-8
  2. ^ Karl Albert Frickhinger: Fossil Atlas Fish , Mergus-Verlag, Melle, 1999, ISBN 3-88244-018-X
  3. ^ Arno Hermann Müller: Textbook of Palaeozoology. Volume III, Vertebrates, Part 1. P. 371, Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1985

Web links

Commons : Spadefish  - Collection of images, videos and audio files