Pinecone Fish

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Phylum: Chordata (chordates)

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Order: Beryciformes (Sawbellies)

Family: Monocentridae (Pinecone fishes)

 

Genus/species: Monocentris japonica

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Body except for caudal peduncle armored with huge, immovable scales. Body yellow, scales outlined in black; lower jaw black.

 

Length up to 17 cm (6.7 inches).

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific. Tropical marine found in schools in clear water above rocky bottom near reefs. Depth range 10 - 200 m (33-660 feet).

 

DIET IN THE WILD: Feeds at night on small invertebrates and zooplankton

 

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Not Evaluated

 

REMARKS: By moving its jaw M. japonica exposes a bioluminescence producing organ with pure culture of luminous bacteria which emit light.

 

References

 

California Academy of Sciences Twilight Zone 2016

 

eol eol.org/pages/214300/details

 

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/Monocentris-japonica.html

 

Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/14809348647/

 

Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-1kC

 

8-21-14, 12-5-14, Sept 2016

Done