Longspine snipefish

Longspine snipefish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Centriscidae
Subfamily: Macroramphosinae
Genus: Macroramphosus
Species: M. scolopax
Binomial name
Macroramphosus scolopax
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The longspine snipefish, bellowfish, common bellowsfish, snipe-fish, snipefish, spine trumpet fish, or trumpetfish, Macroramphosus scolopax, is a snipefish of the genus Macroramphosus. It is also known as the slender snipefish off the South African coast.[1]

Distribution

This fish is found worldwide in tropical to subtropical water[1] in the Atlantic, Indian, and west Pacific Oceans, at depths of 25 to 600 m (82 to 1,969 ft).

Description

Longspine snipefish are reddish pink dorsally but have silvery bellies. They have a large eye, long snouts and a slender spine protruding dorsally.[1]

Ecology

The longspine snipefish feeds on crustacean zooplankton such as copepods and ostracods, as well as benthic invertebrates.[1]


In the month-long NORFANZ Expedition of 2003 which examined the biodiversity of the seamounts and slopes of the Norfolk Ridge, 5000 specimens averaging 78 g (2.8 oz) were collected from three locations.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Smith, M.M. and Heemstra, P.C. (eds.) 2003. Smiths' Sea Fishes ISBN 1-86872-890-0
  2. ↑ NORFANZ Voyage Retrieved 2011-10-29.
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