Bonnetmouth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bonnetmouth |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Emmelichthyops
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| Species: |
atlanticus
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The bonnetmouth (scientific name: Emmelichthyops atlanticus) is a type of marine fish. It belongs to the grunt family. This fish lives in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. You can find it from Florida and the Bahamas all the way to northern South America. The bonnetmouth is the only known fish in its special group, called a genus.
What Does the Bonnetmouth Look Like?
The bonnetmouth has a body shaped like a cigar. It can grow up to 13 centimeters (about 5.1 inches) long. This is measured from its nose to the tip of its tail.
These fish are usually yellowish-gray. They might have some blue color near their head. Their sides are often silvery-white. Adult bonnetmouths have four brown stripes on the upper part of their bodies. One stripe runs down the middle of their back. Younger fish, called juveniles, only have three stripes. These stripes are usually clearest near the front of the fish. They become lighter as they get closer to the tail.
Where Do Bonnetmouths Live?
Bonnetmouths are found only in the western Atlantic Ocean. They live in areas from southern Florida and the Bahamas to northern South America. They are often seen near the Florida Keys, the US Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas.
These fish usually live near reefs. You can find them swimming over coral heads in small groups. Bonnetmouths can be found at depths from 3 to 90 meters (about 10 to 295 feet). However, they mostly swim together in schools around 64 meters (about 210 feet) deep. They eat small sea creatures without backbones, like tiny crabs or worms. They also eat small fish.
Who Discovered the Bonnetmouth?
The bonnetmouth was first officially described in 1945. An American fish scientist named Leonard Peter Schultz (1901-1986) gave it its scientific name. He found the first examples of this fish near Cat Island in the Bahamas.
The scientific name for its group, Emmelichthyops, means "like Emmelichthys". When it was first named, scientists thought the bonnetmouth was related to the Emmelichthys fish. These two groups of fish look quite similar.
