Banggai Cardinalfish

Pterapogon kauderni

The Banggai Cardinalfish is a small tropical fish that is becoming very rare in the wild, even though it has been successfully bred in captivity.

You will only find these small, 3in long fish around the Banggai Islands of Indonesia. They are the only members of their genus, and you can tell them apart from other Cardinalfish by their three-striped bodies, tasseled first dorsal fin, long second dorsal, and their deep-forked tail fins.

Banggai Cardinalfish are diurnal and live in small groups of about a dozen members. They are opportunistic feeders who dine on whatever smaller plants and animals they can find.

Courtship and mating is pretty interesting for these guys-- females are the ones who initiate. They isolate a male and the pair will perform various courtship rituals before spawning. The Cardinalfish are mouthbrooders, which means that the males take the fertilized eggs (up to 90 of them) into their mouths and incubate them for up to 30 days. During that time they do not feed. The female will stay near the male and defend the territory for the first few days, but she eventually leaves.

Banggai Cardinalfish are very popular in the aquarium industry. They breed in captivity, but more than half a million fish are still captured from the wild each year. The small range and high rate of collection has led the species to an "Endangered" listing.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : Indonesia
Size : Length around3in (8cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Apogonidae -- Genus : Pterapogon-- Species : P. kauderni

Image : Jens Petersen

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Coral Trout

Plectropomus leopardus

Meet the Coral Trout, also known as the Leopard Coral Grouper. These colorful fish make the western Pacific Ocean their home, and they can be found near the coral reefs that give them their name.

Coral Trout can be identified by their red and yellow bodies and their blue spots that have darker rings around them. They grow to a maximum of 2ft in length.

One amazing fact about these fish is that they are all born as females. No one really knows what triggers a female to male change, but they are usually well over a year old when it happens. The average length at change is around 1.5ft!

The spawning rituals of these fish are also pretty interesting. Males establish territories and they do dancing displays to attract females-- fanning out their fins and shaking from side to side. If a female likes what she sees, the two will spawn around sunset. This practice involves the pair swimming very quickly towards the surface and releasing the eggs and sperm into the water. The fertilized eggs float near the surface, and the larval fish will emerge after only a few days.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 2ft (60cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Serranidae -- Genus : Plectropomus -- Species : P. leopardus

Image :  Leonard Low

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Rakery Beaconlamp

Lampanyctus macdonaldi

Previoulsy we learned about a very large fish found in the Antartic Waters. Today, we'll learn what we can about a very small one -- Lampanyctus macdonaldi, also known as the Rakery Beaconlamp.

This deep sea fish can actually be found in the Arctic as well-- it's a creature that really enjoys polar seas. Like most fish in cold waters, these guys are small, maxing out around 6in in length. They feed on creatures that are even smaller still, like tiny shrimp and other crustaceans.

Rakery Beaconlamps undergo small migrations every single day, moving up and down to different depths depending on the time. During the day they travel as far as 1,000m down. During the night they move upwards, hunting between 150 and 250m.

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IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Location : Antarctica
Size : Length up to 6in (16cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Myctophiformes
Family : Myctophidae -- Genus : Lampanyctus -- Species : L. macdonaldi
Image :  SFSA

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Antarctic Toothfish

Dissostichus mawsoni

Today's animal is a pretty cool creature-- it is one of the top predators in Antarctica's Ross Sea, dominating over other species of fish that barely reach 1/3 its size!

The Antarctic Toothfish can grow up to 2m long, making it a giant in cold waters where the fish tend to stay half a meter or less. They are also important because they serve as prey to the large Mammals that feed in those waters-- one group of Orcas actually feeds almost exclusively on them!

The life habits of the Antartic Toothfish haven't been extensively studied, but we do know that they can live as long as 50 years, and don't reach maturity until 16 or 17. Scientists believe that they migrate in order to breed, but that hypothesis hasn't been confirmed because no eggs have ever been found!

Another weird fact is that these fish are able to produce proteins in their body that act like anti-freeze. Those proteins are incredibly efficient at keeping the Toothfish's blood from crystallizing!

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IUCN Status : Not Evaluated
Location : Antarctica
Size : Length up to 6.6ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Nototheniidae -- Genus : Dissostichus -- Species : D. mawsoni
Image :  Last Ocean

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Ocellated Dragonet

The Ocellated Dragonet is also called the Scooter Blenny, even though it is not actually a member of the Blenny family. Weird huh?

In the wild, these fish are found in the western Pacific Ocean, where they live on the seafloor of shallow coral reef areas. You will often see several of them living in a loosely-affiliated group, though they don't form actual schools. They feed on very tiny Zooplankton.

Speaking of size, Ocellated Dragonets are small, only about 3in long, and have brown bodies that are covered with stripe and spot patterns. You can tell the difference between males and females based on the dorsal fin. The fin is larger for males, and it has bright orange coloration at the base.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Southwest Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 3in (9cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Callionymidae -- Genus : Synchiropus-- Species : S. ocellatus
Image : GraouQuarium

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Common Seahorse

Meet the Common Seahorse, a fish that has a range extending throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. However, even with a range that size these Seahorses are in trouble. Their population is on the decline due to habitat degradation and high levels of overfishing. They are one of the most popular Seahorses used for traditional medicines, and are captured in high amounts. As a result, the Common Seahorse is becoming rather uncommon, and they are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

In the wild, the Common Seahorse lives at relatively shallow depths, often attaching their tails to coral or seaweed in order to keep to one place. They are also popular in aquariums, and many are now being captive bred to keep the wild populations sustainable.

Common Seahorses have a really interesting reproductive process. After courting, the mail and female move very close together so that the female can lay her eggs in the male's brood pouch. After all the eggs have been deposited the female leaves and it is all up to dad to incubate their offspring. After about a month it is time for the young Seahorses to hatch, and the father wiggles back and forth to get his young children out into the world. What an interesting process!

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Indian and Pacific Oceans
Size : Length up to 14cm
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Syngnathiformes
Family : Syngnathidae -- Genus : Hippocampus-- Species : H. kuda
Image : Nhobgood

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Caribbean Roughshark

Oxynotus caribbaeus

The Caribbean Roughshark is a small species of shark that grows to a maximum length of about 1.5ft. Proof that not all sharks are gigantic terrifying man-eaters for
sure!

Caribbean Roughsharks hail from the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, and they tend to live at depths of between 1400 and 1600 feet-- so no where near the surface! They have blunt noses, two dorsal fins, and no anal fin. They also have really unusual coloration-- darker grey or brown over most of their body, but light grey on the fins and head, with dark blotches.

Because they live at those depths, they aren't studied a whole lot. We do know that they are slow moving predators, and they feed on small invertebrates and fish.

These Sharks are most commonly seen when they get caught up in fighting nets. They show up occasionally as bycatch for bottom trawls.

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IUCN Status : Data Deficient
Location : Caribbean
Size : Body Length up to 20in (50cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Squaliformes
Family : Oxynotidae -- Genus : Oxynotus -- Species : O. caribbaeus
Image : http://perso.wanadoo.es/escualostk/clas_escuali.htm

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Bigeye Tuna

The Bigeye Tuna is a commercially captured fish that also happens to be the most threatened of all the Tuna species. They are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and appear on several "do not eat" red lists, including the one put out by Greenpeace.

Bigeye Tuna are found in the tropical and temperate oceans of the world. They are large fish, able to grow as long as 6ft and weighing several hundred pounds.

These particular fish are named for their unusually large eyes (compared to other Tuna). They also have deeper bodies than their closest relative, the Yellowtail. Interestingly, but the Bigeye and Yellowtail are referred to as "Ahi."

Overfishing is the biggest threat to the Bigeye Tuna. And lower Tuna numbers affect more than just the fishermen hunting them. Because these fish are so large, they serve as powerful predators in the food chain, and without them the natural balance is thrown off.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Tropical and Temperate Oceans
Size : Length up to 6.6ft (2m), Weight up to 400lbs (180kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Scombridae -- Genus : Thunnus -- Species : T. obesus
Image :  Robbie Cada

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Abyssal Grenadier

Coryphaenoides armatus

Today's animal is one of those deep sea fish that we so uncommonly see alive. Even though they live in all of the world's oceans, the Abyssal Grenadiers normally hang out between 1,000 and 15,000 feet down!

These fish are abundant in the dark depths of the oceans. As adults they can grow nearly a meter in length, though smaller sizes are more common. They feed on other fish, sea urchins, crustaceans, and cephalopods.

Abyssal Grenadiers have a very distinct look to them. They have large heads (featuring large eyes) but bodies that taper out into a tail that completely lacks a caudal fin, along with spined fins that run down both their dorsal and central sides. These fish are known to be very slow-growing, and live as long as 60 years.

Amazingly, while many fish species are suffering, the Abyssal Grenadier populations are booming! They live so far down that they aren't affected by the fishing industry, and between 1989 and 2004 they doubled in number. Scientists don't know much else about them though. Their reproductive habits are unknown, and they have never been kept in captivity.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Worldwide
Size : Length up to 1m
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Gadiformes
Family : Macrouridae -- Genus : Coryphaenoides -- Species : C. armatus
Images : Fishbase

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Hawaiian Squirrelfish

Sargocentron xantherythrum

Meet the Hawaiian Squirrelfish, a species that is found only around the Hawaiian Islands. They, and all other Squirrelfish, get their name from the defensive sounds that they make-- they sounds like chattering Squirrels!

Hawaiian Squirrelfish are bright red with bold white stripes running horizontally down their bodies. Their scales and gill spines are rough, which sometimes causes the fish to get caught up in netting material. They
also have very large eyes, which make seeing in dark water easier. These fish are nocturnal and are normally only active at night.

During the daytime hours the Squirrelfish hide out in various nooks and crannies of the coral reefs that they live around. You will usually find them in small schools, and they feed on small invertebrates like starfish and crustaceans.

Hawaiian Squirrelfish are sometimes found in the aquarium trade. They are said to be hardy, and are generally peaceful. Keeping several at a time requires a large tank, because they will fight over daytime hiding spaces otherwise.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Hawaii
Size : Length up to 17cm
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Beryciformes
Family : Holocentridae -- Genus : Sargocentron -- Species : S. xantherythrum
Image : Aquarium Domain

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Hawaiian Butterflyfish

Today's animal goes by two different names, depending on who you ask. Either it is the Hawaiian Butterflyfish (named for its location), or it is Tinker's Butterflyfish (named for the man who discovered it). So choose which one you like!

Speaking of likeable things, these colorful fish are very sought after in captive aquariums. They are said to be hardy and adapt well to new environments, but they usually sell for extremely high prices. As with all captive fish, they should only be purchased from responsible providers!

In the wild, Hawaiian Butterfly fish like to live near steep slopes and the coral reefs that are found on them. They can be found as far down as 450ft. And though 'Hawaii' is in their name, they are also found in the nearby Marshall Islands as well. The Butteflyfish feed on a variety of of different planktons, and when it comes to breeding they will actually pair off, and can be seen swimming together.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Pacific Ocean
Size : Length up to 6in (15cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Perciformes
Family : Chaetodontidae -- Genus : Chaetodon-- Species : C. tinkeri

Image : Klaus Stiefel

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Bajaichthys

Bajaichthys elegans

Bajaichthys elegans is known only from a single juvenile fossil that was discovered back in 1987. But the fossil is enough to tell us that this interesting looking creature is a relative to the modern-day Oarfish.

Monte Bolca, near Venice Italy, is the site where the fossil was found. This site is an important trove of fossils from the Eocene, especially the Lutetian Epoch. That time period lasted between roughly 47 and 41 million ago, and it was the same timet hat our buddy Bajaichthys lived.

This creature has quite an interesting look to it-- it has an anal fin that runs the entire length of the tail, a vary tall dorsal fin, and two little wing-like pelvic fins. Because of its anatomy, it could belong to one of two different Lamprid families, which is why is currently does not belong to a family at all! We won't know more until additional, adult forms are uncovered-- which may not happen for a very long time, if at all!

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Status : Extinct 41 million years
Location : Fossils found in Italy
Size : Length of 4cm

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Lampriformes
Family: incertae sedis -- Genus : Bajaichthys -- Species : B. elegans

Image : Stanton F Fink

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Tylosaurus

There are six identified species within the Tylosaurus genus, but T. proriger was the largest. In fact, it's the largest of all the Mosasaurs, and one of the largest marine predators of the Cretaceous period.

These massive sea creatures could grow up to 50ft in length, and sported two rows of teeth in their monstrous jaws. They had incredibly strong tails that allowed them to hunt their prey by ambushing them with sudden bursts of speed. Once caught, the prey was often swallowed whole!

Tylosaurus ate just about everything. Fish, birds, sharks, and other marine reptiles have all been found in their stomachs. Their fossils have been found in Kansas, which was actually completely covered by an ocean 65 million years ago. And though Tylosaurus itself wasn't an actual Dinosaur, they did go extinct at about the same time, around 65 million years ago.

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Status : Extinct for 65 million years
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 50ft (15m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Reptilia -- Order : Squamata 
Family : Mosasauridae -- Genus : Tylosaurus -- Species : T. proriger
Image : Ryan Somma, Public Domain

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Angler

Lophius piscatorius

So today's animal goes by many names -- the Angler, the Sea-devil, the Frog-fish. All of these monikers refer to Lophius piscatorius, a deep sea fish native to the north Atlantic and Mediterranean.

The Angler has a very large head, but a flat body that is absent of scales. As with most Anglerfish species, the females are much much larger than the males-- they can grow over 6ft long, while the males will only grow to a few inches.

These fish live on the sea floor, hiding out near the very bottom and attracting smaller fish to them using a lure. When the prey gets close they suck them in whole. Amazingly, the Angler has a very expandable stomach-- they can consume fish that are nearly as large as they are!

Despite their ugly appearance, Anglers are commercially fished. However, they are listed on the Greenpeace Red List. This is because the trawling method used to fish them up is very damaging to the sea floor. Additionally, these fish have very long lives and mature slowly. Taking large numbers of them is detrimental, as it cane take a very long time for the population to naturally rebound.

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Atlantic and Mediterranean
Size : Females up to 6.6ft (2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii  -- Order : Lophiiformes
Family : Lophiidae -- Genus : Lophius-- Species : L. piscatorius
Image : Meocrisis

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Porbeagle

Lamna nasus

The Porbeagle is a large shark that is found in the cooler and temperate waters of the world's oceans. They can grow to lengths of around 12ft, and weigh over 500lbs!

The name "Porbeagle" is a mysterious one. It's exact origins are unknown, though there are a few theories. One is that the name comes from Cornish terms for "harbor" and "shepherd." Another is that it is a combination of the words "porpoise" and "beagle," because of its porpoise like shape and dog-like hunting ability.

Like many large sharks, the Porbeagles give birth to live young. They have up to 6 at a time, which take 8-9 months to gestate. At birth the young sharks are already more than 2ft long! Also like other members of their family, Porbeagles are effectively warm-blooded. They have vascular counter-current heat exchangers in their muscles which allow them to store up all the heat that they generate through fast swimming. They can make their bodies warmer than the surrounding water, which is why they can live in such cold areas.

Porbeagles are actually listed as Vulnerable, and some local populations are Endangered. They have been hunted commercially for their meat and fins in a number of countries, and because they take so long to grow it is difficult for them to quickly repopulate. Also, even though they are very large, Porbeagle attacks on humans are very, very rare.

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IUCN Status : Vulnerable
Location : Temperate and Cold Oceans
Size : Body length up to 12ft (3.7m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Lamniformes
Family : Lamnidae -- Genus : Lamna -- Species : L. nasus
Image : Citron

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Bull Ray

Pteromylaeus bovinus

Today's animal, the Bull Ray, is a very large Stingray that has a wide distribution. They live in the coastal waters of the Mediterranean, and along the Atlantic and Indian coasts of the African Continent.

These Rays have very flat, rounded snouts that kind of look like duckbills. In fact, in some parts of the world they are also called "Duckbill Rays." Including their tails, they can reach anywhere from 5-8ft in length, and can weigh well over 200lbs. Females are actually larger and heavier than the males, and the size different even extends to the size of their tale spine. It can grow up to 3in in females, but only half that in males.

Bull Rays are usually found in small groups. They live in coastal areas because they feed off of the small bottom-dwelling mollusks and crustaceans that are found there. These Rays also happen to be ovoviviparous, meaning they incubate their eggs internally and give birth to live young.

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IUCN Status : Data Deficient
Location : Atlantic, Indian Oceans
Size : Length up to 8ft (2.4m), Weight up to 220lbs (99kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Chondrichthyes -- Order : Myliobatiformes
Family : Myliobatidae -- Genus : Pteromylaeus -- Species : P. bovinus

Image : Fotonatura

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Bicolor False Moray

Chlopsis bicollaris

Moray Eels can grow very large. In fact, the largest of them, the Slender Moray, can reach up to 13ft long!

The Bicolor False Moray? Yeah... not so big. Males only reach about 8in, and females are even smaller. The smaller size is actually why False Morays are "False." They belong to a different family whose members resemble the "True" Morays, but get no where near the size.

Bicolor False Morays are predominantly a greyish-brown, with white on the underside (hence "bicolor.") They live in the coral reefs near the Galapagos Islands, an no where else!

Because of their small range, the IUCN lists the species are Near Threatened. They live in only ten specific reef areas, and though there is no bottom commercial fishing to disturb them, it is unsure what will happen to the population as a result of climate change or El Nino events.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : Galapagos Islands
Size : Body length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Anguilliformes
Family : Chlopsidae -- Genus : Chlopsis -- Species : C. bicollaris

Image : G.R. Allen

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Big-belly Seahorse

Hippocampus abdominalis

The Seahorses that we see in aquariums are often very small fish, usually no more than a few inches long. The Big-belly Seahorse is a very different creature entirely!

This species, which is found in the shallow waters off of Australia and New Zealand, can grow to be 14in long! They are one of the largest Seahorse species on the planet.

Big-belly Seahorses get their common name from the large size of their abdomen. It protrudes on both males and females, though the males have an extra pouch for incubating the young. Yes, male Seahorses care for the babies! The female will lay her eggs in his pouch, and he will swim around with them until they hatch. He can carry hundreds of eggs at a time!

Big-belly Seahorses spend most of their time near seaweed, coiling their tails around the plants to stay in place. They feed by sucking in tiny crustaceans through their long snouts. They swallow their prey whole.

To keep from becoming prey themselves, the Big-belly Seahorses attempt to camouflage themselves in with the seaweed. They also have eyes that move independently from one another, so they can watch for danger.

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IUCN Status : Data Deficient
Location : Australia, New Zealand
Size : Body length up to 14in (35cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Syngnathiformes
Family : Syngnathidae -- Genus : Hippocampus -- Species : H. abdominalis

Image : Drow Male

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Gigantactis

Gigantactis vanhoeffeni

The name Gigantactis refers to a genus of deep sea fish that can be found in oceans all around the world. They live at depths of between 3,300 and 8,200 feet (1,000-2,500m).

Because they live in such deep, remote places, very little is known about them. So far there have been twenty separate species identified, all of which have different home ranges and sizes.

What is common to all twenty is sexual dimorphism and an elongated dorsal fin. In all species, the females are substantially larger than the males. For example, the largest of them can reach about 40cm long, while the largest males are only about 2.5cm! Huge difference!

The aforementioned dorsal fin is also a signature of the genus. They can grow longer than the body itself, and have a bioluminescent photophore attached at the end to attract meals. These strikingly long features are found only in the females though. Males have their own special anatomy-- they have a supercharged sensory organs that help them to find females!

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IUCN Status : Not Listed
Location : Worldwide
Size : Length up to 16in (40cm), but varies

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Lophiiformes
Family : Gigantactinidae -- Genus : Gigantactis

Image : PD

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Beluga Sturgeon

Huso huso

The Beluga Sturgeon is the largest of all the Sturgeon species, and is also one of the largest freshwater fish in the entire world (though they can also be found in brackish and saltwater areas). Some of the largest ones caught were close to 20ft long, though most observed around in the 6-10ft range.

Beluga Sturgeons grow very slowly, meaning that the largest of them are also the oldest. They can live over 100 years, and the oldest recorded was 118!

You'll find these predatory fish in the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Volga River, and occasionally in the Adriatic Sea as well. They live at sea most of their lives, but swim up rivers in order to spawn. When the time to reproduce arrives, a single female can lay up to 3.5 million eggs!

Unfortunately, those eggs are the reason why these giant fish are listed as Critically Endangered  You see, Beluga Sturgeons are where Beluga Caviar comes from. That Caviar is the most expensive in the world, and close to 50% of it is illegally traded. The Sturgeon are over-fished, and on top of that, their habitats are degrading. They are protected by CITES and a few other agreements, and the importation of the caviar is now banned in the United States.

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IUCN Status : Critically Endangered
Location : Eastern Europe
Size : Length up to 10ft (3.2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Actinopterygii -- Order : Acipenseriformes
Family : Acipenseridae -- Genus : Huso -- Species : H. huso

Image : 1stfun

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