Redspotted sandperch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redspotted sandperch |
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Percis schauinslandii Steindachner, 1900 |
The redspotted sandperch (scientific name: Parapercis schauinslandii) is a fascinating marine fish. It is also known as the lyretail grubfish or flagfin weever. This fish lives in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is part of the sandperch family, called Pinguipedidae.
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Discover the Redspotted Sandperch's Look
The redspotted sandperch is a very colorful fish! It has black or reddish-brown blotches on its upper body. These blotches often switch with reddish stripes on its lower sides.
Its spiny dorsal fin is black near its base. The tip of this fin is a deep reddish color. It also has a second soft-rayed dorsal fin with a row of dark spots. Near its pectoral fin, you can see two thin, bright red bars. The base of its caudal fin (tail fin) has two dark spots.
The colors of this fish can change depending on where it lives. For example, fish from the Indian Ocean might have a lined pattern instead of a barred one.
Where the Redspotted Sandperch Lives and What It Eats
This fish likes to live in open areas of the ocean. You can find it where the sea floor is sandy or covered with small rocks. It lives on deeper slopes of the ocean and on sandy reef flats. These fish are found at depths between 9 meters (about 30 feet) and 170 meters (about 558 feet).
Adult redspotted sandperch often swim up from the seabed to catch their food. They mostly eat tiny sea creatures called zooplankton. These fish are often seen feeding above the seabed with other fish. Sometimes, they form small groups of 10 to 50 fish of their own kind.
Where to Find the Redspotted Sandperch
The redspotted sandperch lives across a wide area called the Indo-Pacific region. This stretches from the coast of East Africa all the way to Pitcairn Island. You can find them as far north as Japan and as far south as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
How the Redspotted Sandperch Got Its Name
The scientific name schauinslandii honors a German zoologist named Hugo Schauinsland. He lived from 1857 to 1937. Hugo Schauinsland collected many interesting specimens in New Zealand between 1896 and 1897. The fish was named after him to recognize his work.
You might even see this fish in aquariums! It is sometimes kept as a pet in large fish tanks.
