Marine Fishes of South-East Asia. Gerry Allen
and three black spots at bases of soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins; often misidentified as S. cornutum; Great Barrier Reef and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 25 cm.
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16 SMALLMOUTH SQUIRRELFISH
Sargocentron microstoma (Gunther, 1859)
Inhabits coral reef caves and ledges; distinguished by slender body, very long third anal spine, and alternating white and red stripes; Great Barrier Reef, offshore reefs of W.A., and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 19 cm.
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NIGHT SHIFT
By day the coral reef is literally a beehive of activity. Fishes of every description swarm over the reef. Keen observers with a mask and snorkel can effortlessly watch the fascinating drama of undersea life as the occupants of the reef engage in their daily activities. But what happens to the fishes at night? Most retire to the safety of a cave or crevice at dusk - but as darkness descends squirrelfishes (Plates 14-15), cardinalfishes (Plates 31-36) and other members of the night shift become active.
PLATE 16: KNIGHT FISHES, DORIES, FLUTEMOUTHS, ETC.
1 KNIGHT FISH
Cleidopus gloriamaris De Vis, 1882
Inhabits coastal reefs, usually in caves or under ledges; similar to 2 below, but has very conspicuous light-producing organ on each side of lower jaw (appearing as orange spot in daylight or a blue-green one at night), and scales are more strongly outlined by dark colouration; also known as Pineapple fish; Australia only, mainly in subtropical and temperate waters of east and west coasts; to 28 cm. (MONOCENTRIDAE)
2 JAPANESE PINEAPPLEFISH
Monocentrus japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782)
Inhabits deeper offshore reefs and trawling grounds; similar to 1 above, but light organs not as conspicuous, narrower dark margins around scales, and wider gap between eye and mouth; N.W. Australia, New S. Wales, and scattered localites in Indo-Malay region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (MONOCENTRIDAE)
3 LITTLE DORY
Cyttopsis cypho (Fowler, 1934)
Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf; general shape similar to 4 and 5 below, but a much smaller fish lacking filamentous dorsal fin rays; found throughout the region; mainly W. Pacific; to 18 cm. (ZEIDAE)
4 MIRROR DORY
Zenopsis nebulosus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)
Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shdf; similar to 5 below, but lacks scales (versus small scales present) and forehead profile distinctly concave (versus convex); found throughout the region; C. and W. Pacific; to 58 cm. (ZEIDAE)
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5 JOHN DORY
Zeus faber Linnaeus, 1758
Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf, although sometimes found close to the coast; similar to 4 above, but has small scales versus no scales and forehead profile is concave versus convex; Australia, mainly in temperate seas; tropical and temperate E. Atlantic and lndo-W. Pacific; to 75 cm. (ZEIDAE)
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6 PINK BOARFISH
Antigonia rhomboidea McCuUoch, 1915
Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf; distinguished by diamond-shaped body; red or pink colouration with yellowish fins; Australia only - shelf areas off eastern and western coasts in tropical and temperate seas; to 15 cm. (CAPROIDAE)
7 HIGH-FINNED VEILFIN
Velifer hypselopterus Bleaker, 1879
Inhabits deeper trawling grounds of the continental shelf, although the young may appear in shallow coastal waters; distinguished by filamentous dorsal and anal fins and diffuse dark bars on side; shelf areas off eastern and western coasts of Australia in tropical and temperate seas, also Arafura Sea; Indo-W. Pacific; to 40 cm. (VELIFERIDAE)
8 SMOOTH FLUTEMOUTH
Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838
Inhabits coastal waters in the vicinity of reefs; distinguished by long snout, trailing filament on tail, and greenish-brown colour of back; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 163 cm. (AULOSTOMIDAE)
9 ROUGH FLUTEMOUTH
Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803
Inhabits coastal waters, also found well offshore; similar to 8 above, but has row of bony plates along middle of back (absent in 8) and is reddish or brownish-orange in colour (versus greenish-brown); found throughout the region; Atlantic and Indo-C. Pacific; to 185 cm. (FISTULARIIDAE)
10 PAINTED FLUTEMOUTH
Aulostomus chinensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Inhabits coral reefs; roughly similar shape to 8 and 9 above, but has shorter snout, has small scales (versus no scales), row of feeble dorsal spines on back, different shaped fins, and lacks tail filament; a yellow variety is frequently seen; found throughout the region; Indo-E. Pacific; to 50 cm. (FISTULARIIDAE)
11 GHOST FLATHEAD
Hoplichthys regani Jordan & Richardson, 1908
Inhabits deep offshore trawling grounds; similar to flatheads (Plate 21) in body shape (i.e. greatly flattened), but lacks scales and has filamentous dorsal-fin rays; N.W. Ausralia and S. Indonesia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 20 cm. (HOPLICHTHYIDAE)
12 ORIENTAL SEAROBIN
Dactyloptaenia orientalis (Cuvier, 1829)
Inhabits coastal waters, usually on sand bottoms near coral reefs; distinguished by huge wing-like pectoral fins; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 38 cm. (DACTYLOPTERIDAE)
13 SLENDER SEAMOTH
Pegasus volitans Linnaeus, 1758
Inhabits sand or silt bottoms of bays and estuaries; distinguished by flattened head and tapered body encased in plate-like armour similar to seahorses, and fan-like pectoral fins; often identified as Parapegasusnatans; found throughout the region; Indo-W. Pacific; to 16 cm. (PEGASIDAE)
14 SHORT SEAMOTH
Emypegasus draconis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Inhabits sand or silt bottoms, frequently in bays or estuaries; similar to 13 above, but wider body (when viewed from above), shorter snout and tail, and body is more “sculptured”; found throughout the region; Indo-C. Pacific; to 10 cm. (PEGASIDAE)
PLATE 17
1 GROOVED RAZORFISH
Centriscus scutatus Linnaeus, 1758
Inhabits coastal waters; distinguished by long snout and thin (highly compressed) body composed of bony plates; Great Barrier Reef and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 15 cm. (CENTRISCIDAE)
2 HARLEQUIN GHOST PIPEFISH
Solenostomus paradoxus (Pallas, 1770)
Inhabits inshore reefs and weed beds, sometimes in floating seaweed; distinguished by skin flaps on head and body, stripes on body and spotted fins; N.W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 12 cm. (SOLENOSTOMIDAE)
3 GHOST PIPEFISH
Solenostomus cyanopterus Bleeker, 1855
Inhabits inshore reef areas; distinguished by yellowish to green or brown colour; general shape similar to 2 above, but has fewer skin flaps and shorter tail base; N.W. Australia, Great Barrier Reef, and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 16 cm. (SOLENOSTOMIDAE)