Peprilus paru facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peprilus paru |
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| Harvestfish or American harvestfish ( Peprilus paru ). Gulf of Mexico. | |
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The Harvestfish (Peprilus paru), also known as the American harvestfish, is a type of fish found in the ocean. Sometimes people call it the star butter fish or just butterfish. It belongs to the Stromateidae family, which are known as butterfishes.
These fish are usually about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long. They have a round, flat body with curved fins, a rounded nose, and a small mouth. Harvestfish are greenish-silver on top and silvery, sometimes with a yellow tint, on their sides and belly. Their fins can be a bit dark or yellowish. They live in warm waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean, from the Chesapeake Bay in the United States all the way to Argentina. People sometimes catch Harvestfish to eat.
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What Does a Harvestfish Look Like?
The Harvestfish has a very flat, round body. Its tail fin is forked, like a "V" shape. It has long, curved fins on its back and belly, which look like sickles. This fish does not have pelvic fins. It has a blunt snout and a small mouth with weak teeth.
Harvestfish are usually shiny silver and can look like they change colors, sometimes with a green tint on their upper half. Their fins often have a yellow color. They typically grow to be about 18 to 30 centimetres (7.1 to 11.8 in) long. Unlike some other butterfishes, the Harvestfish does not have noticeable mucus pores under the front part of its back fin.
What Do Harvestfish Eat?
Adult Harvestfish are predators. This means they hunt and eat other smaller creatures. Their diet includes small fish, jellyfish, crustaceans (like crabs or shrimp), and worms. Young Harvestfish, called juveniles, eat plankton. Plankton are tiny plants and animals that float in the water.
Where Do Harvestfish Live?
The Harvestfish is a pelagic fish, meaning it swims in the open water. They often swim together in groups called schools. You can find them in warm, subtropical waters. They live in bays and close to shore over the continental shelf, which is the shallow part of the ocean floor near land.
Young Harvestfish can be found in shallow coastal waters or near estuaries, which are places where rivers meet the sea. These fish are known for swimming under certain types of jellyfish. They do this to find shelter from predators and maybe even find small invertebrates that get stuck in the jellyfish's tentacles. However, they can also get stung by the jellyfish, which can be dangerous for them.
Where Can You Find Harvestfish?
Harvestfish live in the Western Atlantic Ocean. Their range extends from the northern Gulf of Mexico all the way down to Argentina. They can be found from Florida to Venezuela, including Trinidad and the Antilles islands. They have also been seen in the western Caribbean Sea.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Peprilus alepidotus" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
