Arc-eye hawkfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arc-eye hawkfish |
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| Paracirrhites arcatus in Polynesia | |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Scientific classification | |
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Paracirrhites
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| Species: |
P. arcatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Paracirrhites arcatus (G. Cuvier, 1829)
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The arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) is a type of hawkfish. These fish live in shallow, warm waters in the tropical Indo-Pacific region. You can often find them resting on top of coral heads, waiting patiently.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Paracirrhites comes from two older words. Para is a Greek word meaning "the side of." Cirrus is a Latin word meaning "curl."
The second part of its name, arcatus, means "arched." This refers to the special U-shaped mark around the fish's eyes. It's like a colorful arch!
What Does it Look Like?
The arc-eye hawkfish can grow up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long. They come in many colors! Their bodies might be greenish-brown, dark brown, or even reddish-orange. Their tails are usually a pretty bluish color.
A wide white stripe runs along the side of their body. The most special part is the colorful ring around their eyes. It's shaped like a U and has three colors: red, blue, and yellow.
Hunting Habits
These fish are very good hunters. They are also quite territorial, meaning they like to stay in their own space. They spend most of their time sitting on corals, like Acropora or Stylophora corals. They wait there for small prey to come close.
They mostly eat small fish, shrimps, and crabs. Sometimes, they also munch on tiny isopods, fish eggs, and larvae. You might even see these fish in home aquariums sometimes!
Where Do They Live?
The arc-eye hawkfish is found all over the tropical Indo-Pacific ocean. This huge area stretches from East Africa, Madagascar, and the Maldives. It goes all the way to Hawaii, southern Japan, and parts of Australia.
Their Home on the Reef
These hawkfish live on coral reefs. They are "benthic" species, which means they live on or near the bottom of the ocean. You can usually find them in calm lagoons and on reefs facing the open sea. They typically live in waters from 1 to 30 meters (about 3 to 98 feet) deep. Sometimes, they can be found as deep as 91 meters (about 298 feet)!
Images for kids
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P. arcatus at Great Barrier Reef
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P. arcatus at Atol Chuuk
