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Dwarf hawkfish

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 6 min

Dwarf hawkfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Centrarchiformes
Family: Cirrhitidae
Genus: Cirrhitichthys
Species:
C. falco
Binomial name
Cirrhitichthys falco
Synonyms
  • Cirrhitichthys serratus J. E. Randall, 1963

The dwarf hawkfish, (Cirrhitichthys falco), is a small species of hawkfish found on tropical reefs in the Indo-Pacific region from the Maldives to the Caroline Islands and Samoa. It can sometimes be found in the aquarium trade.[2]

Taxonomy

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The dwarf hawkfish was first formally described in 1963 by the American ichthyologist John Ernest Randall with the type locality given as Davao Gulf, Mindanao in the Philippines.[3] The specific name falco is Latin for “falcon”, Randall did not explain the name but it may be a play on the common name hawkfish.[4]

Description

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The dwarf hawkfish can reach 7 cm (2.8 in) in total length. The dorsal fin has ten spines with numerous tassels on the tips of the spines. The anal fin has three spines and six soft rays. The pectoral fins are thick and elongated and spread out when the fish is resting on the substrate. This fish is pinkish-red and white in color with vertical banding or mottling.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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The dwarf hawkfish is native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from the eastern coast of Africa and the Maldives to Samoa, the Ryukyu Islands, northern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. It is a common member of the reef community on outer reef slopes and flats and is found at depths down to about 45 m (148 ft).[2]

Behavior

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The dwarf hawkfish typically rests at the bottom of massive corals. It usually occurs singly but may be in pairs and feeds on fish larvae, small crustaceans and other invertebrates on the seabed.[2]

Like many fish, this species can change sex. A dominant male keeps a harem of several females. If a harem becomes too large, one of the females may become a male and take on part of the harem as a dominant male. What makes this species unusual is that the new male may revert to the female sex if challenged by a more powerful male. A male can become a female and successfully breed, laying fertile eggs.[5]

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References

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  1. ^ Greenfield, D. and Williams, I. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Cirrhitichthys falco". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T67997318A115451031. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T67997318A68001656.en. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cirrhitichthys falco". FishBase. June 2021 version.
  3. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Cirrhitichthys". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  4. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (25 February 2021). "Order CENTRARCHIFORMES: Families CENTRARCHIDAE, ELASSOMATIDAE, ENOPLOSIDAE, SINIPERCIDAE, APLODACTYLIDAE, CHEILODACTYLIDAE, CHIRONEMIDAE, CIRRHITIDAE, LATRIDAE, PERCICHTHYIDAE, DICHISTIIDAE, GIRELLIDAE, KUHLIIDAE, KYPHOSIDAE, OPLEGNATHIDAE, TERAPONTIDAE, MICROCANTHIDAE and SCORPIDIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  5. ^ Whyte, C. Transgender fish perform reverse sex flip. New Scientist January 6, 2012.
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