Mycteroperca xenarcha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mycteroperca xenarcha |
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The broomtail grouper is also known as the mangrove grouper. Its scientific name is Mycteroperca xenarcha. This fish is a type of ray-finned fish from the Serranidae family, which includes many kinds of groupers and sea basses. You can find the broomtail grouper in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It lives along the western coast of the Americas, all the way from California down to Peru.
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What Does the Broomtail Grouper Look Like?
The broomtail grouper has a long, strong body. It is also quite flat from side to side. Its body depth is about the same near its dorsal fin (top fin) and its anal fin (bottom fin).
This fish has a snout that is much longer than its eye. Its lower jaw sticks out further than its upper jaw. It also has sharp, canine-like teeth at the front of its mouth. The edge of its gill cover is strongly jagged, like a saw. It has 29 to 33 gill rakers, which are small structures that help it filter food.
Fins and Color
The dorsal fin on its back has 11 stiff spines and 16 to 17 soft rays. Spines 2 through 7 are all about the same length. The anal fin, located on its underside, has 2 spines and 10 to 11 rays. Its pectoral fins, on its sides, usually have 17 rays, though some have 16 or 18.
A special feature is its caudal fin, or tail fin. The back edge of this fin looks jagged. This is because the fin rays stick out beyond the fin's membrane. The broomtail grouper is usually pale brown. It has long, dark brown blotches on its body. These blotches often have pale brown centers.
Size and Weight
This fish can grow quite large. It can reach about 150 centimeters (nearly 5 feet) in length. It can also weigh up to 45.4 kilograms (about 100 pounds). The heaviest broomtail grouper ever caught weighed 49.24 kilograms (108.55 pounds).
Where Does the Broomtail Grouper Live?
The broomtail grouper lives in the eastern Central Pacific Ocean. You can find it from San Francisco Bay, California, in the north. Its range extends south all the way to Peru. It is also found around the Galapagos Islands.
There is only one record of this fish in San Francisco Bay. This suggests it might just be a rare visitor there. Also, the very first specimen ever described was said to be from the Galapagos Islands. However, this is the only record from there. Scientists think that specimen was probably mislabeled and actually came from Peru.
Broomtail Grouper Habitat and Behavior
The broomtail grouper lives in different types of underwater environments. You can find it in areas with mangrove trees. It also lives over hard surfaces on the continental shelf and slope. The continental shelf is the edge of a continent that is under the ocean.
This fish seems to prefer estuaries that are full of mangroves. An estuary is where a river meets the sea. Both young and adult broomtail groupers can be found in shallow water. However, adult fish can also live in deeper waters, up to 60 meters (about 200 feet) deep.
Threats to the Broomtail Grouper
The broomtail grouper is not currently threatened by fishing. However, fishermen in Mexico say that there used to be many more of these fish.
The biggest threat to the broomtail grouper is the loss of its habitat. This happens when mangrove forests are destroyed. Mangroves are very important places for many fish, including the broomtail grouper, to live and grow. Protecting these areas helps protect the fish.
