Largescaled terapon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Largescaled terapon |
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The Terapon theraps, often called the largescaled terapon or banded grunter, is a fascinating fish. It's also known by names like banded trumpeter or spiky trumpeter. This fish is a type of ray-finned fish from the grunter family, Terapontidae. It lives in a very large area of the world's oceans, called the Indo-Pacific region.
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About the Largescaled Terapon
The Largescaled Terapon is a medium-sized fish. It has a body that is a bit long and somewhat flat from side to side. Its jaws are the same length, and its mouth points slightly upwards.
Body Features and Fins
Younger fish have a bone called the maxilla (part of the upper jaw) that reaches the front of their eyes. In adult fish, it doesn't reach quite as far. This fish has cone-shaped teeth arranged in bands. The teeth in the outer row are much bigger. There are no teeth on the roof of its mouth.
The dorsal fin (on its back) has 11 or 12 sharp spines and 9 to 11 soft rays. The spiny part of this fin is curved and has a deep dip. The third to sixth spines are the longest. The dip happens because the second-to-last spine is about half the length of the last one.
The anal fin (on its belly, near the tail) has three spines and 7 to 9 soft rays. The third spine is the longest, even longer than the soft rays. The caudal fin (its tail fin) has a slight fork and rounded edges. Along its side, the fish has a line called the lateral line. This line has 46 to 56 scales with tiny pores.
Colors and Patterns
Most Largescaled Terapons are a dusky-green color. They have a shiny green look that fades to silver-white on their belly. You can see four wide, dark stripes running horizontally along their sides. There's also a big black spot on the dorsal fin and dark stripes on the tail.
Younger fish are brown. Their stripes are darker, and they have white spots that form lines in the lighter areas between the dark stripes. Their tails are also striped. This fish can grow up to about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long.
Where They Live: Distribution
The Largescaled Terapon is found across a huge area called the Indo-Pacific region. This includes waters from the southern Red Sea and along the eastern coast of Africa, as far south as Madagascar. It also lives eastward along the coasts of southern Asia, including the Seychelles islands. In the Pacific Ocean, it reaches as far north as southern Japan and south to Australia and east to New Caledonia.
Unusual Sightings
This fish has been seen twice in the Mediterranean Sea. Once near Istria in the northern Adriatic Sea and another time near Chalkidiki in the Aegean Sea. Since this fish doesn't usually live in the northern Red Sea, and these sightings were far from the Suez Canal (which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean), scientists think these fish might have traveled in the ballast water of ships. Ballast water is water ships take in to help them balance. It's also possible they were released on purpose. However, these waters are likely too cold for the Largescaled Terapon to live there permanently.
Habitat and Life Cycle
The Largescaled Terapon lives in coastal waters in warm, tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific. It is often found in brackish water (a mix of fresh and salt water) and among mangrove trees.
Diet and Reproduction
Younger fish often hide under floating algae or other floating debris, like mats of Sargassum seaweed. This hiding behavior helps them spread out to new areas. The Largescaled Terapon is an omnivorous species, meaning it eats both plants and animals.
When it's time for spawning (laying eggs), the male fish takes care of the eggs. He guards them and uses his fins to fan them, making sure they get enough oxygen.
Fishing for Largescaled Terapon
People living near the coast often fish for the Largescaled Terapon. They use different fishing tools like traps, handlines (fishing with a line held by hand), and bottom trawls (nets dragged along the seafloor). This fish is usually sold fresh to eat. Sometimes, it is preserved by drying or salting it.
