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MONTESSORI CORAL REEF FIELD GUIDE
CHORDATA (PHYLUM)
Vertebrates (SUBPHYLUM)
Fishes III
Ray-Finned Fish (CLASS)
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Other Ray-Finned Fishes |
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Eels and Morays (ORDER) |
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| Habitat: reef associated, marine; 1-50 m depth range. tropical. Western Atlantic Size:
250 cm total length
Food: Feeds mainly at night on fish and crustaceans
Interesting Fact: Due to its large size and aggressiveness, the bites of this moray are particularly dangerous.
FISHBASE |
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| Green Morey making appearance.
Picture by Mrs. Fox; taken at Shedd Aquarium |
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Green Moray FAMILY: Moray Eels |
Other Sites: |
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| Habitat: reef-associated; marine ; depth range 0
- 200 m; subtropical; Western Atlantic. shallow rocky and grassy
areas and on coral reefs Size: to 120. cm
Food: fish, crustaceans
Interesting Fact: has poor eyesite; may mistake your hand for a
fish. Its bite is very dangerous.
FISHBASE - Michael |
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| Spotted Moray
FAMILY: Moray |
Other Sites: |
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| Habitat: Burrows in coarse sand along the rocky coasts of oceanic islands.
Eastern Atlantic. tropical Size: 64.8 cm. total length
Food: carnivore;
fiddler crabs, small fish & grass shrimp
Interesting Fact: harmless
FishBase |
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Leopard Eel FAMILY: Snake Eels |
Other Sites:
Leopard Eel |
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Puffers and Filefishes (ORDER)
Tetraodontiformes |
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| Habitat: reef associated; 1-75 m. Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to Durban, South Africa and east through Indonesia to Samoa, north to southern Japan and south to New Caledonia. Size:
50.0 cm long
Food: sea urchins, crabs and other crustaceans, mollusks, and
tunicates
Interesting Fact: Among the most highly prized aquarium fishes
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| Clown Triggerfish
FAMILY: Balistidae (Triggerfishes) |
Other Sites: |
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| Habitat: reef-associated;
marine ; depth range 2 - 275 m ; tropical. Eastern Atlantic: Found over rocky or coral area Size: to 60.0 cm total length
Food: It preys on sea urchins
by blowing water to overturn it and then attacks it where the spines are
short.
Interesting Fact: Endangered status: Vulnerable. Poisonous to eat.
Fish Base |
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| Queen Triggerfish
FAMILY: Balistidae (Triggerfishes) |
Other Sites |
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| Habitat: reef associated;
marine. 2-100 m depth range. subtropical. Western Atlantic. Inhabits shallow reefs to open, soft bottoms. Also in areas with rocky substrata. Size:
50.0 cm total length
Food: mollusks, sea urchins, hermit crabs, and crabs at night
Interesting Fact: Used in Chinese medicine. Poor swimmer.
FishBase |
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Long-spine
Porcupine Fish FAMILY: Porcupinefishes (Burrfishes) |
Other Sites:
Long-spine
Porcupine Fish |
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| Habitat: reef associated;
marine; 1-16 depth range. Indo-Pacific. Size: 15.0 cm total length (FB).
Food: Feeds mainly on algae,but also takes polychaetes,sea urchins, brittle stars,mollusks, tunicates, corals,crustaceans and sponges.
Interesting Fact: Many pufferfish are poisonous,but a Japanese delicacy.
FISHBASE / Alex
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Sharpnose Pufferfish FAMILY: |
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Seahorses and
Pipefishes (ORDER) |
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| Habitat: reef-associated; non-migratory; marine
; depth range 3 - 63 m; sub-tropical; found in sheltered bays; Eastern
Indian Ocean: northwestern Australia only Size: to 22.0 cm
Food: minute invertebrates sucked in through tubular snout.
Interesting Fact:
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Narrow-bellied Sea Horse
FAMILY:
Seahorses and Pipefishes (Subfamily Hippocampinae) |
Other Sites: |
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| Habitat: non-migratory; brackish; marine ; depth
range 0 - 40 m; Southwest Pacific, Australia and New Zealand; found in
large rock pools at low tide Size: to 32.0 cm
Food: Feeds on tiny crustaceans
Interesting Fact: Male has extremely large brood pouch.
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Pot-bellied Seahorse
FAMILY: Seahorses and Pipefishes |
Other Sites: |
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| Habitat: reef-associated; non-migratory; marine
; depth range 0 - 55 m; subtropical. Western Atlantic: North
Carolina, Brazil Bahamas, Bermuda Size: up to
7-8 inches
Food: zooplankton
Interesting Fact: One of the most beautiful seahorses.
Destiny
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Longsnout
Seahorse
FAMILY: Seahorses and Pipefishes |
Other Sites: |
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